Group decision-making

Effective group decision-making requires a conscious effort to counteract groupthink and biases that can easily arise in the process!

Group decision-making is a common practice in many organizations. However, it's essential to understand that the number of people in a group does not necessarily correlate with better outcomes. Often, groupthink creeps in, leading to biases and a desire to preserve harmony at the expense of the best solution. That's why it's crucial to have the right strategies in place to ensure effective decision-making.

In a Harvard review, they give seven simple strategies for more effective group decision-making.

1) Keep the group small when making important decisions. Research shows that larger groups are more susceptible to confirmation bias, making it harder to evaluate information objectively. 2) Generally, choose a heterogeneous group over a homogenous one.
3) Appointing a strategic dissenter. The job of this person is to challenge the team’s decision, acting as a counterforce often leading to significant improvements in decision quality and outcomes.
4) Collect opinions independently. The collective knowledge of a group is only an advantage if it’s used properly – this strategy can counter groupthink.
5) Provide a safe space for constructive dissent. To create a safe space and harness group diversity effectively: focus feedback on the decision, suggest instead of mandate, show empathy and appreciation.
6) Don't over-rely on experts. Inappropriate use of experts, can lead to overconfident judgments.
7) Share collective responsibility. When each member is accountable for the decision-making process's final outcome, there is a more balanced distribution of power, leading to an open exchange of ideas.

If you use other strategies, don’t be shy or lazy, but please share them in the comments, so we can all learn from each other – after all, that is one core purpose of a community :)