In a recent board meeting, our President was sharing some thoughts on the Holy Spirit. Some statements he made about collective decision making were particularly impactful. I quickly jotted down a paraphrase in the notes I was taking as the minutes scribe:
When godly men come together and collectively say what should be done, this is when we can know we are acting on the will of God. When individually we seek the will of God we will collectively be moved by God. When the board moves collectively it gives us confidence to move forward. We can be most confident in God’s leading in a collective environment.
This is a great reminder and encouragement for anyone who is engaged in leadership among believers. Being a leader who is yielded to the Spirit and pursuing godliness is essential for effective contribution as a member of a decision making group. There truly is a great sense of confidence that comes from a group of godly individuals coming together in unity and deciding collectively on an issue. I have been able to observe this dynamic at work in a number of situations. It is a real blessing when you achieve consensus on an important decision.
In addition to being filled by the Spirit, I believe a number of key elements should be in place for collective decision making to be effective. First, everyone involved needs to be informed. My wife and I have had to make some big decisions on the care of our son Tyler who has cerebral palsy. It has been comforting when a group of doctors, therapists and specialists are all recommending the same procedure or treatment. Our comfort level would not have been nearly as high if the team had included people who had never observed Tyler or reviewed his medical history. A team of decision makers needs to be informed in order for the collaborative method to be effective.
Second, team members need to understand their own strengths and weaknesses. Sometimes it may be best to remain silent and support others who are better equipped to lead through an issue. At other times the needs of a situation may make a team member uniquely capable of taking a primary role in the decision making process. Knowing the strengths and weaknesses of the other members of the team will help one discern what his or her role should be in a given situation. Achieving concensus often takes compromise and yielding to others. Humility, trust, and patience are needed to navigate through these situations.
Third, teams should have empowered leaders. This is one difference Harminia Ibarra and Morten Hansen identify between consensus decision making and collaborative decision making in their article entitled Are You a Collaborative Leader? in the July-August 2011 issue of Harvard Business Review. I believe it is an important distinction. Whereas in consensus decision making each person in a group has an equal vote, in collaborative group leaders are given authority to have the final say on decisions. Both collaborative and consensus decision making allow for pooling of wisdom and experiences. But, consensus decision making can be very slow and often may end in an impasse. In contrast, collaborative decision making leaves the opportunity for a consensus to be reached, but gives a leader the authority to make a decision when differing views persist. Consensus decision making should only be pursued when choosing to do nothing is a viable alternative. Often times, however, keeping the status quo is not an option. That is why the collaboritive approach to decision making is usually the better approach for a collective environment.
Finally, a decision needs to be conducive to a collective environment. Routine decisions do not warrant the additional effort and time required for collective decision making. Second, decisions that are very time critical are probably better suited to be made by individuals with processes and accountability structures in place. Third, decisions where there are a wide variety of valid opinions are also not good candidates for a collective approach. An example is setting ministry salaries. Church business meetings where members debate if their spiritual leader is worth his salary are horrible situations for making collective decisions. I remember a few of those situations growing up when my dad was the pastor. Nothing good comes from those debates.
Collective decision making can be a blessing. If pursued by godly individuals who are being led by the Spirit, it can result in wise decisions and a greater sense of confidence that a decision has been made correctly and in accordance with the Spirit's leading. While not all decisions can be made using collective methods, some offer the potential for unifying a group as they seek to follow God's leading.
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