The Top 5 Research-Backed Steps to Make Intentional Decisions as a Team
We know from organizational culture assessment data that the ability to make intentional decisions as a team is critical for achieving strategic priorities, building commitment, fostering accountability, and engaging employees. Intentional decision-making means making choices using a clear, well-thought-out process that everyone understands and buys into. Intentional decision-making processes produce better outcomes and avoid unnecessary conflicts.
How to Make Intentional Decisions as a Team
We know from new manager training participants that new team leaders struggle with effective team decision making – especially when the stakes are high. Based upon project postmortem results, here is how you can implement intentional decision-making within your team.
- Define a Clear Decision-Making Framework
To make intentional decisions, teams must operate within an agreed-upon and structured decision making process. The framework must be adaptable depending on the complexity and stakes of the decision. A decision-making framework should clarify:
- What?
Clearly defining the exact decision you are trying to make or the problem you are trying to solve is the first step. You would be surprised how often decision making teams skip this fundamental step and get stymied by misaligned assumptions. - Who?
Not all stakeholders have equal influence or power. Knowing who holds responsibility for different types of decisions ensures clarity and avoids decision paralysis. Establishing channels for input, whether through meetings, surveys, or smaller group discussions, ensures everyone’s perspective is appropriately considered. - How and When?
Defining the decision-making criteria upfront helps maintain focus while deadlines prevent the decision-making process from dragging on by providing a sense of urgency.
- What?
- Align Decisions with Core Values and Goals
When making decisions, leaders know that context matters. Teams must ensure that their decisions align with the organization’s core values, team norms, and strategic priorities. Decisions that are misaligned with what the organization stands for or where the company is headed are doomed to fail.Before deciding, teams should ask:
- Is this decision in line with our mission and values?
- Does this decision support our short-term and long-term goals?
- Will this decision positively impact our key internal and external stakeholders?
- Encourage Diverse Perspectives
We know from decision making training best practices that intentional decisions require varied perspectives. When decision making teams encourage diversity of thought, they better anticipate challenges and identify more creative solutions. Homogeneous groups tend to fall into groupthink, where decisions are made without critical questioning or exploring alternatives. To overcome this:
- Invite team members from different departments or roles to contribute, especially those who may bring unique expertise or viewpoints.
- Encourage constructive debate and foster a culture of openness, where team members feel safe offering contrary views.
- Use data and evidence to support discussions, ensuring that opinions are grounded in fact and not just personal biases.
- Make Use of Collaborative Tools
Utilizing collaborative decision-making tools can enhance intentionality, accountability, and candor. Tools such as project management software, digital whiteboards, and polling systems allow teams to communicate and collaborate effectively, even when spread across distinct locations. These platforms provide:
- Real-time communication for clarifying questions and discussing options.
- Documentation that captures the rationale behind decisions, helping to avoid future confusion.
- Voting and polling features that ensure all team members have a voice and can weigh in on decisions efficiently.
- Prioritize Transparency and Accountability
When team members understand the logic behind decisions and their part in implementing them, they are more likely to buy in and work collaboratively toward execution. Making intentional decisions requires openness throughout the process. Teams should prioritize transparency by communicating decision-making progress, rationale, and outcomes to all relevant stakeholders. This involves:
- Regular updates on key decisions during meetings or through internal communication channels.
- Explaining the reasons behind decisions to ensure all team members understand not just what was decided, but why.
- Assigning accountability for carrying out the decision and tracking its impact, making sure everyone is clear on their role in execution.
The Bottom Line
The ability to make intentional decisions as a team is a vital skill for any team seeking to create high performance. By defining a clear framework, aligning decisions with core values, encouraging diverse perspectives, using collaborative tools, and prioritizing transparency, teams can make decisions with purpose and clarity. Intentional decisions are not just about avoiding mistakes — they are about driving collective success.
To learn more about how to make intentional decisions as a team, download the Top 5 Decision-Making Mistakes to Avoid at All Costs