LEADING COLLABORATIVE DECISION MAKING PROCESSES

Collaborative decision-making can be difficult. However, using a simple six-step process, managers can structure their decision making processes in a way that promotes team and stakeholder collaboration.

Most decisions fail because of organizational rather than analytical issues. Poor leadership, a faulty problem-solving process, poor teamwork, and lack of commitment are often the underpinnings of failed decision processes. Failed decision processes lead to conflict, loss of credibility, diminished competitive advantage, increased costs, inadequate inclusion of stakeholders, and poor implementation. Here is a six-step process to help to improve organizational processes and teams to improve decision-making. 

HOW TO BUILD A COLLABORATIVE WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENT

When too many people in a company lack collaborative skills there is a very low trust, high blame, un-supportive workplace. People are less open, so it is more difficult to solve problems. They avoid risk taking because if anything goes wrong someone will get blamed.

When IBM was picking their next generation of leaders, all the people they picked had a skill that IBM called "collaborative influence." It's the ability to get people to do things when you don't control their salary; i.e., they do so simply because you have a good relationship. When Bell Labs looked closely at the difference between their good employees and the real stars, they found that the stars were adept at building collaborative networks. They knew who they could call when they had a problem. Other people were willing to help out because of the relationships that had been built.