1. Decision Making Process It is essential that teams have a clearly defined process for making decisions before and during the course of their work. It should be pre-determined by the team long before difficult decisions need to be made. 3.1.6 Special acknowledgement to Sally McNair, WEA

2. Two Basic Models of Decision Making 1. Sufficient Consensus: a meeting of the minds where every member of the group is given the opportunity to participate in the discussion and decision. Everyone may not fully like the decision but everyone is willing to support it fully. This is more than “living with it.” 3.1.6

3. Decision Making Process continued 2. Majority Rule - Half plus one decides. This facilitates the easiest and quickest decision-making. However, it can also put team unity to the test. In the event the team cannot reach sufficient consensus, this is a way to make a final decision in order to meet an absolute deadline. 3.1.6

4. Ways to Achieve Sufficient Consensus Thumb System - Up is yes, down is no and sideways is either an undecided or a sign that it meets the minimum requirement; however the team should continue the discussion and/or proceed with extreme caution in the event more than one person has voted sideways. Color Card System - Each team member has red, green and yellow cards that are used in team meetings. Green is yes, red is no and yellow is for caution and an indication that more discussion needs to take place. 3.1.6

5. Ways to Achieve Sufficient Consensus Numbered Card System – When the team is setting priorities, team members use cards. One indicates a high priority, two is a middle priority and three a low priority. When the team flashes their cards and there is not agreement, discussion ensues. Card systems tend to eliminate unnecessary discussion while at the same time forcing all team members to participate. Fist to Five System - This is a system to indicate degrees of agreement or disagreement. A hand raised with all five fingers up indicates full agreement. A fist with no fingers raises indicates complete disagreement. Less than five fingers raised indicates various degrees of agreement. If the indication is mixed, continue the discussion. 3.1.6

6. Important: Silence is not agreement! Get an indication from each member on each decision. On many teams every member must vote on every decision...every time! 3.1.6

7. Consensus Not all decisions can be made by pure consensus. The most important point is that all agree on how decisions are to be made well ahead of the time when difficult decisions have to be made by the team. 3.1.6

8. Sufficient consensus means that: 1. All participants are encouraged to contribute. Participants should view differences as helpful rather than as a hindrance. 2. Anyone can paraphrase an issue. 3. Everyone has an opportunity to describe his/her feelings about an interest/issue. 4. Those who continue to disagree may indicate publicly that they are willing to go along for an experimental try for a prescribed period of time. 5. All share in the final decision. 3.1.6

9. Consensus does not mean: 1. A unanimous vote. 2. Everyone’s first choice. 3. That everyone agrees, only that enough are in favor to get the decision carried out. 4. Designed to avoid conflict or to overcome resistance in the short run. 3.1.6