By / par Meredith Low
We prefer to have serious decision-making discussions in person. We like to see each other think. Challenging conversations are easier when we can read body language or even hear intakes of breath. We want to look into other people’s eyes when we are making a commitment together. There’s a reason the word “conspiracy” has at its roots the idea of breathing the same air. Organizations that have a mix of in-person and telephone meetings will reserve the more complex discussions for in-person meetings, as a matter of habit.
Now more and more organizations are being forced to make serious decisions both at a distance and at breakneck speed, with high stakes and seriously limited information. It’s no longer an option to defer difficult conversations to in-person meetings.
It’s not (just) about the tech
I’d like to get into how to structure decision-making so that you can overcome some of the challenges of the virtual context, and still help your organization—whether it’s the board, the management team, or even the membership—make good decisions.
Do you need to set up the tech so it’s an enabler and not an impediment? Sure, you do.
But then you need to think about how you are going to make decisions, which decisions you’re going to ask different groups to make, and why. And then proceed working with the tech—and the group of decision-makers—you’ve got.
How to structure the discussion
Much of this is about thinking through what decisions need to be made, why, and in what order. It’s absolutely crucial to set clear expectations about what a given discussion is about—and what it’s not. Remember that in a time of stress and ambiguity, putting parameters around the conversation can come as a relief. Help people understand what they are being asked to weigh in on, how, and why. Kick some cans down the road, absolutely, but be explicit about it.
How do you structure a conversation so you can make a decision?
• Frame the decision – what is/isn’t on the table? State the decision you are asking for in a single sentence or phrase.
- Outline the stakes – why is this decision needed, and what happens if there is no decision?
- Clarify roles – why is this group or individual being asked to make this decision?
- Decide what information or inputs are needed to make that decision. Will your board need to see financial projections? Member feedback? Best practices from experts? Legal advice? Anticipating those needs can help you get to actual decisions – even if all you’re doing is recognizing that the exigencies of the situation require you to make decisions lacking information you would have liked to have.
- Put the decision in context. Once this decision is made, what happens next? What will be the next decision (or cluster of decisions) that this group (or others) will need to think about?
A board needs leadership support at a time like this, not to usurp their role but to set them up for success.
Presenting options
Presenting options for decisions, consider:
- What options to present:
- Laying out options you considered, but do not recommend, will clarify your logic and make your processes more transparent.
- Will board members think of an option that you know to be impossible or highly impractical? Present it as an option and note why it’s not possible Set it up to knock it down, so the discussion doesn’t get derailed.
- What criteria to use to analyze the options:
- Cost (financial/non-financial)
- Impact/benefits
- Ability to execute
- Impact on stakeholders
- What happens if you take an option – and maybe even what happens if you don’t take it
- Risks and potential mitigations for each.
Give these poor people a deck!
There are ways to prepare for this conversation to maximize your success:
- Have a deck! Don’t expect people to just follow along verbally.
- Test the proposed process and document in advance, if possible.
- Provide materials and thought-starter questions in advance to the participants. Ask people to reflect on the questions they should be prepared to answer
Having a good conversation
Some recommendations for the discussion:
- Provide technical support – ideally the person responsible for the decision-making process isn’t also on IT support.
- Ensure there is solid leadership for the discussion. Ideally this is the chair, but they can also hand off management of specific discussions to someone else to facilitate, as long as the objectives and roles are clear.
- Leaders should remember some important elements of decision-making:
- Allow people space and time to think, including silence.
- If someone’s role or job suggests you need their input, go ahead and call on them by name.
- Be clear when you’re moving to decision-making, and when you need affirmative consent – “I’m asking for a clear yes from everyone here.”
Decisions can be imperfect
Boards are not held accountable for making perfect decisions. But what boards are still accountable for is having a justifiable and appropriate process. That doesn’t mean slow decision-making in a fast-moving environment. It does mean taking a beat, making your thinking explicit, and applying critical thinking.
This takes courage, but it’s what leadership requires in this situation. ▪
