Title: Open Decision-Making
Headings: Open Decision-Making
Open Decision-Making
Goals
Steps to a Decision
Input
Consensus
Announcement
Reconsideration
Positive Examples
Negative Examples
Fear of Feedback
Stealth Decision
Premature Conclusion
When the Process Works and Doesn't Work
The Opposite Approach: Dictator
Conclusion

Content: Consensus
Many people believe that consensus-based decision processes are  too inefficient to be practical ("analysis paralysis"), but  this is not my experience. If you manage the process correctly it  is almost always possible to achieve consensus quickly when  making a decision: if a collection of  smart people all look at the same problem with the same information,  and if they have the same goals, then they are likely to reach the  same conclusion. A decision with strong consensus is  more valuable than one without consensus: it is more likely  to be right, and it is more likely to get implemented effectively  because everyone believes in it. The best way to achieve consensus is to get all of the key  people together at the same time, discuss the choices, and then  take a poll. Consensus happens most efficiently in a meeting  environment where everyone can hear all the arguments  and respond to them. Furthermore, each person can observe whether  other people share their views; it's easier to accept a decision  you don't like if you can see that no one else shares your  viewpoint. In general, it's better to err on the side of having  too many people present in the meeting rather than too few.