Decision-making, healthy debate, and thinking again

Alfred P. Sloan famously said, “If we are all in agreement on the decision, then I propose we postpone further discussion of this matter until our next meeting to give ourselves time to develop disagreement and perhaps gain some understanding of what the decision is all about.”

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We remembered this quote at a recent Book Club meeting, as we were discussing Adam Grant’s Think Again. The book is about re-learning, being courageous enough to change your mind, and reconsidering your assumptions. Integral to the discussion is the realization that agreement is not always a good thing. For leaders in the workplace, how do you encourage others to "rethink," and how do you model this behavior for your team?

​As part of the book club discussion, we were reflecting on why it is that many of us, in the workplace and beyond, avoid conflict. What’s more, some leaders conflate “disagreement,” “conflict,” and “healthy debate”—and avoid all three!

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In my experience supporting leaders at all levels, from newly minted leaders to C-suite executives, I find that there are three key reasons why we avoid conflict.

1. A belief that conflict damages relationships. Their ability to develop strong relationships is the very reason many leaders believe that they are in a leadership role in the first place (and so successful in it!)... So why risk it?
2. Fear that conflict may look poorly upon the leader and give the perception that the leader has lost control of the discussion, and/or doesn't have a handle on the situation. 
3. Dislike of being challenged, or fear of realizing that their (own) idea is not so genius after all.

And of course it may well be a combination thereof!

If you are hesitant to want to engage in debate, whether it’s challenging a decision or testing a hypothesis to ensure it is fit for purpose, I offer you some strategies to try out.

How to make a decision with a group and encourage healthy debate

Before you begin...

• Share background information before the meeting and context regarding the decision to be made.
• Set expectations. Prepare everyone in advance by sharing that it’s our goal to “poke holes at this decision.”
• Plan for how you're going to make the final decision, e.g., “We're going to debate for one hour, regroup tomorrow, and take a vote on the decision.”
• Agree to commit, i.e., "We will all align to the final decision as a unified team."
• Be thoughtful about who's part of the discussion. Outside of the core team, invite people who were never involved in this decision and/or will not be strongly impacted by it. Either invite all stakeholders or have a picture of all stakeholders to make sure they're represented.

During the meeting...

• As the leader, lay out a few options. Kick off the conversation to reveal a potential risk or problem with the decision.
• Ask permission, e.g., "Can we debate about this?" (This question of Adam Grant’s is just awesome!) or “Can we brainstorm?” (This idea came from Book Club. Using the term “brainstorm session” vs. “debate” is disarming. For some, “debate” can be intimidating and can trigger emotions in a way that “brainstorm” does not.)
• Build off of other people's comments when they disagree, to emphasize their points. Keep in mind, as Adam Grant says, “Dialogue is a dance,” which means that sometimes you lead, and sometimes you follow.
• Assign roles in the meeting, such as: the "Pollyanna" role, the "nay-sayer," the "yes but," and the "yes and" roles. Having pre-assigned roles allows people to speak more freely, because it creates emotional distance and helps people "save face," if they feel that their idea is not fully baked.
• Engage in scenario planning. Consider, the “What ifs…”

 
Wrap up

• Recap the options, and highlight any new ideas that emerged from the discussion.
• Reiterate your commitment to the plan for how you will make the final decision (i.e., sleep on it, then vote, etc.)

Regroup

• Make the decision and commit as a unified team. (Remember you set up the discussion with a 'pinky promise,' so this step is not a surprise.)
• Agree to how/when/what to communicate to others who may be impacted by the decision. 
• It's also important to ask for reactions to how people felt about the process, and to what tweaks they would like to plan for as you face any future decisions. 

Try it out, and let me know how it goes!