Many leaders think they have it rough when it comes to making decisions for their team. After all, with the responsibility resting solely on their shoulders, it follows that they will be exposed to intense stress and pressure, not to mention the solitary accountability regardless if the outcome is good or bad. You’re in for a big surprise when you discover that decision-making becomes more efficient, well-grounded, and even enjoyable when executed as a group.
The advantages of small group decision-making include diversified perspectives, removal of biases, and a higher sense of ownership for decisions made. It also helps boost employee morale and fosters collaboration and loyalty. The disadvantages include the risk of social loafing and groupthink.
Let’s delve deeper into what decision-making is really like in small groups, starting with its evident contrasts from individual decision-making. We will then talk about the pros and cons, including what this decision-making strategy can do for your team members’ morale and job satisfaction, as well as how it can help your business become stronger and more dynamic.
Is It Better To Make Decisions as a Group?
It’s better to make decisions as a group because the mixed ideas and insights you gather can all contribute to helping you make more well-rounded, relevant, and apt solutions. Individual decision-making tends to be biased, while group decision-making will take various perceptions into account.
Individual decision-making may be faster and could save you money and energy, especially since there wouldn’t be a need for any brainstorming sessions, arguments, and follow-ups. However, a lot of risks are involved since choices are made based on just one person’s perspective.
Decisions may come off as discriminatory and inequitable to some, while others may perceive your choices as self-serving and unsubstantiated. You will also run the risk of being blamed if things don’t go as planned.
Some leaders are hesitant about involving their team members in the decision-making process, especially since tradition dictates that leaders should have complete control of the group. However, as with anything, small group decision-making has its own advantages and disadvantages, and I must say, the benefits are quite difficult to ignore.
Here are some points worth taking a closer look at:
Advantages of Small Group Decision-Making
1. Diverse Perspectives
As the saying goes, “Two heads are better than one,” and this is most apparent and useful when making decisions as a team. Each person in the group has a unique perspective and can share distinctive insights, suggestions, and assessments on various issues.
Diversity exposes your team to a wider array of approaches to finding the best possible solutions to different problems. You and your team members can sit together and ponder over the problem, talk openly about your views, and share suggestions for possible solutions. Your decision-making process will benefit from the vast pool of knowledge and distinct experiences of your team members.
Each individual’s expertise will also come in handy in producing rational, comprehensive, and detailed alternatives. A friend told me about the time when she was still working in the car industry, and her boss would always ask her to come in during their company’s weekly planning sessions. She told me it made her feel uncomfortable because she was so young and the newest member of the team, and she felt like she hadn’t earned her right to be there yet.
By the third week, she was already feeling so awkward about the situation, so she asked her boss to invite someone else, specifically someone who has been on the team longer than her. That’s when her boss told her that the reason he’s been inviting her was because he wanted the perspective of a young, carefree person, one of the personality profiles they’re targeting in their marketing campaigns. It suddenly all made sense!
2. Boosts Employee Motivation
Your team members will feel heard, seen, and valued when you involve them in decision-making processes. You get the opportunity to leverage their unique strengths, enhance their skills, and give them a voice in many issues directly affecting them. When employees feel they’re respected and appreciated by their leaders, they become more eager to engage and contribute significantly to the attainment of set goals.
Happy employees translate to high job satisfaction and a low turnover rate for the company because people develop a sense of loyalty to the business. When more employees choose to stay, you avoid incurring additional expenses for new recruits, including recruitment, onboarding, training, and replacement costs, not to mention the separation costs you need to shell out for the employees who want to leave.
3. Removal of Biases
We all have our own biases, and these may inevitably come into play whenever we make decisions as an individual. In a group, each of our biases will be checked, and perhaps even eliminated, through healthy discussions and debate. This will give way to more well-rounded, inclusive, and reasonable solution alternatives from which the best possible option can be chosen.
4. Collective Responsibility
Accountability is spread out among team members in group decision-making, thus encouraging everyone to be more intentional with their words and actions. If you’re lucky enough to have a team of driven individuals, their energy and efficiency will rub off on each other, creating a team of dynamic team members, eager to find the best solutions for the business’ most pressing needs.
As a leader, strive to foster a culture of transparency within your team. Promote openness and honesty by encouraging everyone to freely exchange ideas and embrace criticisms and healthy debates. Transparency in decision-making is a great way to boost camaraderie and trust among team members, as well as a strong sense of ownership for the decisions they make as a team.
Disadvantages of Small Group Decision-Making
1. More Time Consuming
Group decision-making requires everyone’s participation. You would need to schedule meetings, consider each person’s availability, participate in discussions, and coordinate with everyone on the team. All these take time, and if you’re in the face of a crisis where quick decisions are necessary, group decision-making might not be the best route to take.
2. Groupthink
Some people might choose to stay quiet and not share their insights with the group primarily because the majority seems to already agree on something in particular. These individuals have a strong desire to conform and minimize conflicts, and are thus hesitant about showing dissent, raising issues, and criticizing aspects they may find some flaws in.
Groupthink typically produces flawed, irrational decisions and defeats the purpose of group decision-making.
3. Social Loafing
Some team members may have the tendency to hide behind the group and put in less effort than they should. Despite this, they eagerly share in the triumphs of the team even though they have not significant contributions. Riding on the coattails of their team members allows them to appear more efficient and reliable than they really are.
4. Lack of Accountability
Responsibility is diffused in group decision-making, and there may be a lack of proper accountability, especially when things don’t go as planned. I know we previously highlighted this aspect as an advantage for group decision-making, but depending on the profile of your team members, you always run the risk of accountability lapses.
Think about it this way — if each and every member of the team is accountable for all the decisions made by the group, then no one actually is. Some team members may deny responsibility and might resort to pointing fingers when it comes to bad decisions.
Key Takeaways
Small group decision-making may seem like a daunting prospect for many leaders, but given the benefits one can expect, it certainly is worth exploring. Quality decisions can only be made if there is proper appraisal, substantial dialogues, a healthy check on individual biases, teamwork, and facilitative leadership.
Sancus Leadership promotes group decision-making because it helps enrich the experience for everyone on the team. The benefits far outweigh the downsides. If you’re eager to find out how to initiate this strategic leadership approach in your business, book us a call today so we can help give your decision-making tactics a boost.
