Decision Making Workshop

BUILDING PRODUCTIVE PARTNERSHIPS WITH VOLUNTEERS AND CHAPTERS

Use this workshop when...your team, board or committee has trouble making high-quality decisions, “spins its wheels,” habitually revisit old issues, or finds itself unable to arrive at any kind of meaningful decision.

The Benefits: Better decisions, improved performance and increased satisfaction among participants. Boards and teams will be able to make decisions more quickly as well as manage their time more effectively by focusing on high priority issues.

HOW THE WORKSHOP IS STRUCTURED

1. Identify the Obstacles

The workshop begins with the group determining the types of problems it is having during the decision making process. This allows the workshop to pinpoint the issues that require the most attention.

2. Assess Decision Making Preferences

The Leadership Spectrum Profile® is then used to help the group better understand how to collaborate for decision making. The LSP identifies six types of priorities a person is likely to favor and how that priority influences his or her decision-making process. For more information about the LSP click on the image.

3. A Step-by-Step Process

The team is then taught a step by step process to overcome its weak areas in decision making:

IS THIS A PRIORITY?

Is this issue a priority for the team, committee or board? If so, why? Is a team, committee or board meeting the best venue for addressing this issue? Or can it be addressed in another venue?

WHAT IS THE OBJECTIVE?

What is the board or team trying to accomplish by making this decision? Have we clarified the problem or issue? What is the problem that really needs to be focused on? Does everyone agree we that we have a well-defined problem or issue statement?

WHAT ARE THE FACTS?

Does the board have all the facts it needs to begin the discussion or should we table the discussion until more information is gathered?

WHAT ARE THE DECISION OPTIONS?

What are all the possible decisions we might make?

Which ones are most feasible and should be the
focus of our discussion?

WHAT ARE THE DECISION CRITERIA?
Before we try to make a decision, have we identified and
agreed to the criteria by which we will make our decision?

WHAT IS THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS?

Are we clear how the group will go about making a final decision?
Is it consensus? Majority vote? Another methodology?

4. Practice

The group is given an opportunity to practice its new set of skills by tackling a practice decision that is similar to the type of decision they normally face. The facilitator provides real time coaching and guidance throughout the process.

5. Practical Application

Finally, the group applies the process to a real-life decision. The facilitator observes, offers coaching as necessary and helps the group evaluate its performance.

To learn more about this process, read the article: