Decision alignment check
After a group decision: how firmly people back it once they leave the room, not just in it.
Worth a look
- How to speak up for yourselfAdam Galinsky, TEDWhy the same push sounds confident from one person and pushy from another, and how to widen the range of what you can say. (opens in a new tab)
- Dare to disagreeMargaret Heffernan, TEDThe case that the person who argues with you is often doing you the biggest favour, and that good teams fight about ideas. (opens in a new tab)
- Building a psychologically safe workplaceAmy Edmondson, TEDxHGSEIf you held back in that room, it was probably the room. The researcher behind 'psychological safety' on why people go quiet. (opens in a new tab)
- Radical Candor In 6 Minutes With Kim ScottRadical CandorBeing too nice to say it has a name, ruinous empathy. Six minutes on saying the hard thing in a way people can use. (opens in a new tab)
- How to Speak Up: Even When You Don’t Want ToSarah Crawford-Bohl, TEDA short, practical framework for the moment you know you should say something and your throat closes. (opens in a new tab)
More (2)
- 10 ways to have a better conversationCeleste Headlee, TEDA radio interviewer's rules for conversations where people actually get heard, starting with: don't multitask. (opens in a new tab)
- Crucial ConversationsJoseph Grenny, Kerry Patterson, Ron McMillan, Al SwitzlerThe book on what to do when opinions differ, stakes are high and the easy move is to say nothing. (opens in a new tab)
The conviction read: a show of hands counts every raised hand the same. A slow, hedged agree on 'support this decision outside the room' is someone who went along and may reopen it later, so go over the reasons before it goes out.
What's in the template
- I understand what we decided. puck
- I could explain the reasons to someone who wasn't there. puck
- My view was heard before we decided. puck
- I can support this decision outside the room. puck
- It's clear who does what next. puck
- I expect this decision to hold. puck
Questions about this template
When should I send it after a decision?
A day or so after the meeting, once people have talked to their own teams. Answers given in the room tend to be firmer than the ones people still hold a day later.
What if 'My view was heard before we decided' gets a wide spread?
Some people may feel the decision was made before they spoke. Before it goes out, walk the group through the reasons again and say what changed because of what was raised, or why nothing did.