I’ve been studying decision makers for more than 30 years. Some have run small businesses, others large conglomerates, still others large or small non-profit organizations. From all these observations and interviews have come countless insights and patterns of behavior. Some of these are what you might expect such as being an effective communicator or being able to set clear strategy. But there are lots of others than have been more nuanced. In many cases, they might not seem significant. But taken together, they form the modus operandi of how these individuals lead others effectively.
I mentioned one in a blog post a couple of weeks ago. That was volunteering to write the first draft of a proposal, agenda, or project when serving on a team or committee. Rather than six people taking time to discuss the issue, the smart decision maker volunteers to create the initial draft and let others edit. It’s a lot more efficient. Besides, if you create the initial draft, you will have outsized influence over the outcome.
Here’s another of these nuanced strategies. They know how to build consensus when there’s an outlier. As we all know, pride is alive and well in today’s workplace. Unfortunately, there are those who believe that if the idea did not originate with them, it must be second rate. This kind of behavior can become sand in the gears of getting things accomplished. So, what can you do to get a person who behaves like this on board? That depends on their position within the organization. If they are one of several on the committee, the best thing to do is let them have their say. Then the group can explain that the consensus is going in another direction. It is important, however, to let these individuals make their argument, even if it takes a few minutes. If they don’t feel heard, they may become an irritant throughout the rest of the process.
But what if the person has some special status or is ultimately responsible for the outcome, as in the boss? Hopefully, individuals in these positions will see a consensus forming and accept that consensus. But if this isn’t the case, the group, or the natural leader in the group will need to find a way to get this person on board. So, what do you do? Here’s a quick three-step process I’ve used and seen others use.
First, look for areas of agreement. Many times, the outlier’s idea and the consensus will share a number of commonalities. It may be just little issues around implementation that are getting in the way. Begin by pointing this out. This encourages momentum toward a positive outcome.
Second, once this has been done. Ask the person to explain the specifics of their differences with the group’s consensus. These differences are probably smaller than everyone thinks. Any number of times, I heard people say, “Oh, I can live with that if it will get us to closure.” If the outlier persists, I usually say something like, “I can see you’re really invested in your approach. How about explaining its strengths over what the rest of us have come up with.” If you or someone else pushes back in a diplomatic way, most times the other individual will relent recognizing that they are holding up the process over something minor.
Third, recognize their flexibility. This should not be perceived as a win/lose situation by anyone. I generally say something like, “I’m glad we are able to come to consensus. Thanks for your flexibility.” This makes them feel magnanimous. What strategies do you use in these situations? I’d like to share them with everyone else. Shoot me an email at bobw@commonsenseenterprises.net.