Is your Team powerful and dynamic? Or only you?
Just me?
The feeling that you are the only one driving the decision-making process forwards can be a lonely and frustrating experience. Leaders should be in the position to ensure the best decision is made, not having to make every decision.
One option would be to remove yourself from the decision-making process, which may sound like a risky idea, but one which could free up a lot of your time. Would the team be able to come up with a viable solution without you, and how long would this take?
Making the change
Changing your level of involvement in the decision-making will be a challenge for everyone involved. Your willingness to step back from the process will convey trust in your team, and be an opportunity for them to take greater responsibility and autonomy. However, your absence can create a vacuum which needs to have structure in place, to ensure everyone knows what role they must fulfill.
Your expectations
You must clearly outline your expectations of the team:
- How much fact finding is necessary for the research and who is responsible
- The criteria used to validate solutions
- The timeframe they must accomplish this in
- Who will make the decision as to which solution is chosen
Sharing responsibility
Limiting your engagement may feel uncomfortable due to the lack of control, but after you give your team the rules for discussion, you should step back and trust them to rise to the challenge. This will allow them to take ownership of the decision-making process and increase their engagement in the process. Both are crucial to a successful implementation.
One of the key expectations to set is who will make the decision on which solution is chosen. If this is set at the beginning of the process and conducted with fairness and empathy, you as the leader can still make the choice!
Learn how to reduce the tension that decision-making can cause and improve the dynamics in your workplace by contacting C-Link Consulting at (248) 781-0150, info@c-link.consulting, or fill out the form below.