The Consensus Decision-Making Trap
Is Consensus Decision-making the only method you use? It’s easy to fall into this trap. We are taught early and often to involve all members of the group in decision-making. The idea is that a better decision comes from gathering everyone’s input.
However, consensus decision-making really just makes the acceptance of the decision easier since everyone involved had a voice. It doesn’t necessarily make it the best decision or the right decision. It also has the unique property of insulating the decision from its maker and removing the accountability.
Organizations spend a lot of time, money, and frustration in meetings organized around consensus decision-making every single day without understanding any of the alternatives. I’m not advocating so-called “Effective Meeting” training which simply reinforces the consensus model. Instead, Stanford’s course on Strategic Decision and Risk Management is a better investment if you wish to truly develop decision-making as a core skill within your organization.
