Team Decision Making

Question 1

3 Benefits of Team Decision Making

Answer 1

1. The interaction among members results in better quality ideas, insights, and strategies (can lead into potentially better decisions)
2. Incorrect decisions and solutions are more likely to be recognized and rejected. (devils advocate) Chance to be heard
3. Greater commitment from members

Question 2

Challenges of Team Decision Making, If the task is better suited for a single person don’t force it or these 7 things could occur:

Answer 2

1. Overconfidence: Groups are more overconfident than individuals. Because everybody seems to agree with the decision, members think it must be a good one. A group skeptic, Devils advocate, is needed to challenge the status quo and highlight the potential shortcomings of any given decision
2. Groupthink: ​​Highly cohesive groups adopt the decisions of one or only a few high-status members. Creates an atmosphere where its difficult to question the decisions of the group. Groups escalade decisions because of this
3. Premature decisions: When faced with a decision, teams often only consider a few options before making a decision. Teams need to slow down the process and brainstorm possible options before making their final decision. come with the idea already.
4. Confirmation bias: We know what we want to do, we just want the team to validate us. People see what can confirm their decision. Like listening to one news channel, we like to see things that confirm what we think. Members make an initial decision on an emotional basis and then look for evidence to support it. We only “see” data that confirms our initial decision.
5. shared information bias: ​​We only share what we think is going to be accepted by the group, like Hidden profiles. Because members don’t want to be the only one with a certain position, they tend to hold back new or novel information.
6. Group polarization: Groups will make radical decision, more risky. They think “Power in numbers”. “the group decided this ____”. The risky shift. Discussions take on a life of their own and get blown out of proportion; extreme positions are then taken
7. Escalation of commitment: Kind of like gameling - One more time and ill win it back. After decisions are made, teams make subsequent decisions that reinforce the original decision in order to save face. Even when it becomes apparent that the original decision was wrong, members become even more committed to it.

Question 3

The 5 Costs (negatives) of team decision making

Answer 3

1. Time
2. More meetings
3. Scheduling problems
4. Indecisiveness
5. Frustration and impatience

Question 4

Explain the 5 team decision rules (different ways on how to delegate who decides)

Answer 4

Team Decision Rules: How to Decide.

1. Decision is made by the leader or expert
2. Decision is made by the leader after group consultation
3. Decision is delegated to an individual or subgroup
4. Majority vote (democratic)
5. Consensus
   * Number of people increases as you reach consensus

Question 5

What is the delphi technique? 8 steps

Answer 5

• Delphi Technique is used when information is needed from outside the team, especially from experts.
  a. problem defined
  b. cooperation of experts is enlisted
  c. problem proposed to experts
  d. experts send solutions, recommendations
  e. expert responses compiled, summarized
  f. responses shared with experts
  g. experts comment on revised proposals
  h. if a consensus reached a solution is chosen
• When you need information from experts, then send solutions, they comment on proposal until solution is chosen. Grant proposals, the peer review process.

Question 6

What are the advantages and disadvantages of the delphi technique?

Answer 6

Advantages: Does not require bringing people together, can determine strength of support for idea, preserves all ideas.
Disadvantages: No synergy of ideas, people reluctant to be identified, no elaboration on idea, suspicions that process has been manipulated.

Question 7

*Define the four decision making techniques

Answer 7

1. Consensus: It is a method by which an entire group of people can come to an agreement. The input and ideas of all participants are gathered and synthesized to arrive at a final decision acceptable to all. Consensus does not mean that everyone thinks that the decision made is necessarily the best one possible, or even that they are sure it will work. What it does mean is that in coming to that decision, no one felt that his/her position on the matter was misunderstood or that it wasn’t given a proper hearing.
2. Nominal Group: a structured process where agreement is lacking or members have incomplete knowledge of problems. ​​This group technique formalizes the decision-making process, is efficient, and may work well if you have a larger group involved in the decision process. All ideas are saved in the process and still retained as possible alternatives.
3. Stepladder: Stepladder is systematically adding new individuals into decision-making groups (one at a time) and requiring them to present their ideas independently to a group that has already discussed the problem at hand. This technique helps increase decision quality.
4. Multivoting: a series of votes taken to reduce the set of choices. This process allows for a minority view to be represented at each stage of the process.

Question 8

*Explain the process of the four decision making techniques

Answer 8

1. Consensus Process: The consensus process goes as follows, a proposal is offered, amended and modified through more discussion or withdrawn if it seems to be a dead end, articulate differences clearly and offer alternatives, ask if there are reservations/objections, call for consensus, repeat decision to clarify.
2. Nominal Group Process: Facilitator clearly defines the problem, Ideas generated individually on cards, Ideas presented and recorded by the facilitator, Ideas are read in random order, Ideas are discussed and clarified for understanding & to avoid duplication. (No criticism while ideas are being read out), Individuals rank ideas in order of preference, Highest ranking idea is taken as the team’s decision
3. Stepladder Process: Randomly assign group members a letter to indicate their order of participation (A, B, C, D … etc.). Person A and B meet to discuss the problem or opportunity.While persons A and B are meeting, other members work independently on the problem.When Person A and B have reached consensus, Person C’s ideas are added to the process, noting differences. Then Persons A, B and C discuss the problem until they reach a consensus. Then, Person D is added, and is repeated. This process is repeated until all team members have been added and a team consensus is reached.
4. Multivoting Process: begins by listing options; the individuals vote for as many as they want. Votes are tallied, options with more than half of votes retained in next round; any team member can add back 1st choice. Next round vote for half of total options. Tally and repeat 2nd step: continue until there is two items left and discuss. Vote on the final two items

Question 9

*What are the advantages and disadvantages of the four decision making techniques

Answer 9

1. Consensus:
   
   • Advantages: Input of all team members considered, open discussion, develop support for decision and commitment to implement.
   • Disadvantages: Takes more time, not 100% agreement, dominating participants can take over process, status differences affect outcome.
2. Nominal Group:
   
   • Advantages: Minimizes position power, promotes openness and acceptance, allows voting (prioritizing), efficient time use, ideas preserved and built upon.
   • Disadvantages: Structured, needs a good facilitator, restlessness in large group, no time for elaboration.
3. Stepladder:
   
   • Advantages: Improves decision quality, involves all members of team, ensures that everyone participates, builds support for decision, this technique provides some protection against “groupthink” since members work independently and then provide their input on the problem.
   • Disadvantages: this is time- consuming, members early in process may dominate, good ideas may be eliminated early, selection of entry into process must be random, A mature team process is necessary for this to work effectively.
4. Multivoting:
   
   • Advantages: Less time consuming than other techniques, allows for discussion and members to retain 1st choice if voted out, more support for final decision than majority vote.
   • Disadvantages: May create winners and losers, process is very structured, good ideas may get voted out and not retained, complex process with iterations.