Modes of Decision-Making

Last updated: October 28, 2021
Estimated reading time: 3 min

To foster greater participation, trust, and transparency on teams, we recommend leaders develop a shared vocabulary aboutmodes的决策。Different from a decision-makingprocess(e.g., consensus, majority vote, individual makes the call, etc.), yourmodedescribes thetype of inputyou’re seeking from a person or group. Essentially, it tells people how you’ll engage with suggestions.

下面的光谱*提供了一个在团队中共享的框架。在每一种模式中，你的目标都是吸引参与者，尤其是那些最接近工作或最受决策影响的人。

*我们借鉴了Monitor Consulting创建的类似框架。

Why mode matters

The shared vocabulary helps participants understand “the ask” and prevents confusion about how decisions will be made. For example, a project manager might use the gradient above to clarify the purpose of a meeting: “We are viewing this as a joint decision. We’ll review the three options today, take questions, and vote using our normal process.” Later in the project, the same manager might meet with the team in a different mode: “To be transparent, I’m in test mode—I’ve thought about XYZ and am leaning toward this path, and I want to see whether you think it’s the right course before I decide. Is there anything else I should consider?”

Being clear about your mode is a key step infair process decision-making.

For project leaders and managers, getting clear about your mode is achoice point. When staff routinely get asked for input that’s discounted or ignored, they are less likely to feel valued and included, which leads to disengagement—an experience that is all-too-often the norm for staff with marginalized identities or less power. When you’re transparent about your decision mode, it sets expectations and shows you respect people’s time, insight, and energy. Naming your mode is also a good time to reflect on the input you seek, from whom, and how often. Ask yourself:

Which mode reflects how I will make this decision?
Who will be impacted by this decision? Are there patterns along lines of race, gender, or other identities I need to be mindful of?
我可以在哪里建立更真实的合作，或者寻找经常被忽略的新视角?
How often am I showing up in tell or persuade mode? What’s holding me back from seeking more participation in decisions?

Deciding which mode to use

Mode	Joint	Consult	Test	Persuade	Tell
When…	团队是决策者，将通过合作达成一致;often looks like voting or using a consent/consensus process	The decision-maker(s) are seeking input on a specific decision or option and will consider new ideas or feedback to shape the final outcome; this could look like brainstorming or weighing a few concrete options	Decision-maker(s) have a concept or draft and want to see how it works, lands, or holds up for different audiences	Decision-maker(s) want to build buy-in and have already done work to get here; concerns raised will inform improvements (and, in some rare cases, might change the decision)	The decision is made. Decision-maker(s) are sharing information, including context or rationale, to promote understanding; questions and input will aid implementation
Questions you can ask	Which path do you vote for? What do you think we should do? If you would not vote for X path, what would it take to get to “yes”?	Your input will really shape our next step on X and Y. What ideas do you have? What could make this even better? What could go wrong? What have you seen work/not work? If you were in my shoes, what would you do?	One option we’re considering is A. How does this idea land on you? What parts of that plan do you have concerns about? 你能想象我们的处理方式会出什么问题吗? What’s an outcome you absolutely want to avoid?	What would it take to implement this well? What questions do you still want clarified? What would make you really excited about this path or proposal?	Do you have any questions about how we are moving forward? Do you need anything from me to get this going? 为了向你的团队传达这些信息，你需要我做什么? Can you sum up your understanding of where we’re headed?

Whether you’re in a group working toward consensus, a director gathering input to inform a decision, or a project leader building buy-in for a solution to a problem, transparency about decision modes combined withopenness to feedbackcan help build the kind of authentic engagement that leads to better outcomes.

Find additional resources on decision-making:

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