What is Right for Your Team?

1. Decision Making What is Right for Your Team?

2. One Person – works in emergencies • Assigning the decision to a subgroup • Voting – majority or 2/3 wins • Consensus

3. Majority Rules… • Winner vs Loser • Promotes conflict • Lends itself to steamrolling an idea over a minority that dissents with the majority opinion • People don’t need to listen to the minority or take them seriously; they can simply outvote them • It says the majority is infallible and they have nothing to learn from the minority

4. Consensus… • Explore the best everyone’s thinking • Synthesize ideas • Find common ground • Promote participation - each person has the power: • to have their voice be heard • to make or prevent changes in the system • Listen to each other and answer concerns instead of moving past them • Everyone understands and can live with the decision • often better than any single idea presented

5. Consensus… • Need • Time • Creative thinking and open mindedness • Active participation of all team members • Communication skills • Listening • Conflict resolution • Asking questions

6. Consensus… Remember, it is not: • A unanimous vote • Everyone getting what they want • Everyone finally comes around to the “right” opinion • Reaching compromise

7. Tips for Successful Consensus This material was prepared by Masspro, the Medicare Quality Improvement Organization for Massachusetts, under contract with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The contents presented do not necessarily represent CMS policy. 9SOW-ma-patsaf-08-26 TipsSuccessCons-Nov08 Listen carefully Encourage all members to participate fully Seek out differences of opinion Search for alternatives that meet the goals of all members Avoid changing your mind only to avoid conflict Don’t just argue for your point of view Balance power Make sure there is enough time Check understanding