What is your style for moving a team toward making decisions?
Our reader poll today asks: What is your preferred style for moving a team toward making a decision?
– I push and drive until we get there: 14.44%
– I build consensus through influence: 65.81%
– I remain quiet and keep the group on track: 18.46%
– I let others drive the decision: 1.28%
There is power in silence. Clearly most people have a bias toward building consensus by directly influencing people. The approach works and can be effective but consensus-based decision making can also take a lot of time. And while you’re pushing to influence others, they might dig in and push back. A different technique to try is being silent and only asking questions to keep things on track. In so doing, you’re letting others come to the conclusion by simply steering the conversation. The method can work faster than influence-based consensus in that you get less push back from those involved because you’re making the idea their idea.
Do you agree with these poll results? Let us know in the comments below!
– Mike Figliuolo at thoughtLEADERS, LLC
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These results were originally a SmartPulse poll in SmartBrief on Leadership which tracks feedback from more than 190,000 business leaders. Get smarter on leadership and sign up for the SmartBrief on Leadership e-newsletter.
It has been my experience that I get the best results by asking questions and not forcing my opinions on the group. I have found that when you can create an atmosphere where people can express their opinions freely, you not only get a better result, you also get the support of the people involved.