1. Decision Making in Teams
Chapter 5

2. Decision Making in Teams: Agenda
What is Group Decision Making?
What are the core benefits of team decision
making?
Effective Problem Solving and Decision
Making
Creative Thinking
Brainstorming
10 effective brainstorming techniques for
teams

3. What is Group Decision Making?
Group decision-making is the process of
coming up with an optimum decision with
the collective discussion made by a group of
people in a given situation. In other words,
it’s a process where groups of individuals
gather and discuss obstacles and make a
choice. Committees, task forces, teams, and
other formal and informal groups are
examples of groups.

4. two heads are better than one!
It believes that two heads are better than one
head. In many organizations today, important
decisions are made by groups instead of by
individuals. The increased complexity of
problems requires specialized knowledge in
various fields usually not possessed by one
person and necessitates group decision-
making.

5. Group Decision Making Advantages
and Disadvantages?

6. Advantages:
Provide Complete Information: There’s truth in
saying that “two heads are better than one”. Group
members have specialized knowledge and that they
are ready to provide more information and
knowledge than individuals
Generate More Alternatives: Groups have a greater
amount and variety of data. They can identify more
alternatives than a private. this is often possible
because group members have specialized
knowledge in several areas.
For instance, a team made from individuals from the
fields of engineering, accounting, production,
marketing, and human resources will generate
alternatives that reflect their diverse perspectives.

7. Advantages:
Increased Acceptance of A Solution: Since the
members who implement the choices also
participate within the decision-making process,
the implementation part becomes simpler. This
also increases the commitment of the members to
ascertain that the implementation is successful.
Increase Legitimacy: The group decision-making
process is according to democratic ideals.
Decisions made by groups could also be perceived
as more legitimate than decisions made by one
person.

8. Disadvantages:
Time Consuming: Forming the proper group
consumes tons of your time. Similarly, group
members take longer to form decisions than
private. Each member may have different
perceptions regarding an answer to a drag. They
take longer in discussion to return to mutual
consent.
Minority Domination: Members of a gaggle are
never perfectly equal. they’ll differ in organizational
rank, experience, knowledge about the matter,
influence with other members, verbal skills,
assertiveness, and so on. This inequality creates a
chance for one or more members to dominate
others. A dominant and vocal minority frequently
can have an excessive influence on the ultimate
decision.

9. Disadvantages:
Pressures To Conform: Some members may simply
accept as true with the others for the sake of
agreement. this is often due to social pressure to
evolve and to not be the odd man put. There could
also be some personality conflicts which will create
interpersonal obstacles which can diminish the
efficiency of the method also because of the quality
of the choice.
Ambiguous Responsibility: Group members share
responsibility, therefore, nobody member takes the
ultimate responsibility. In group decisions, the
responsibility of anyone single member is diluted.

10. Effective Problem Solving and
Decision Making
Types of Decision Makers: Problem solving and
decision making belong together. You cannot
solve a problem without making a decision.
There are two main types of decision makers.
Some people use a systematic, rational
approach. Others are more intuitive. They go
with their emotions or a gut feeling about the
right approach. They may have highly creative
ways to address the problem, but cannot explain
why they have chosen this approach.

11. Effective Problem Solving and
Decision Making
Six Problem-Solving Steps:
The most effective method uses both rational and
intuitive or creative approaches. There are six steps in
the process:
Identify the problem
Search for alternatives
Weigh the alternatives
Make a choice
Implement the choice
Evaluate the results and, if necessary, start the
process again

12. Identify the problem
To solve a problem, you must first determine what
the problem actually is. You may think you know, but
you need to check it out. Sometimes, it is easy to
focus on symptoms, not causes. You use a rational
approach to determine what the problem is. The
questions you might ask include:
What have I (or others) observed?
What was I (or others) doing at the time the
problem occurred?
Is this a problem in itself or a symptom of a deeper,
underlying problem?
What information do I need?
What have we already tried to address this
problem?

13. Search for alternatives
It may seem obvious what you have to do to address
the problem. Occasionally, this is true, but most
times, it is important to identify possible
alternatives. This is where the creative side of
problem solving really comes in.
Brainstorming with a group can be an excellent tool
for identifying potential alternatives. Think of as
many possibilities as possible. Write down these
ideas, even if they seem somewhat zany or offbeat
on first impression. Sometimes really silly ideas can
contain the germ of a superb solution. Too often,
people move too quickly into making a choice
without really considering all of the options.
Spending more time searching for alternatives and
weighing their consequences can really pay off.

14. Weigh the alternatives
Once a number of ideas have been generated, you need to
assess each of them to see how effective they might be in
addressing the problem. Consider the following factors:
Impact on the organization
Effect on public relations
Impact on employees and organizational climate
Cost
Legality
Ethics of actions
Whether this course is permitted under collective
agreements
Whether this idea can be used to build on another idea

15. Make a choice
Some individuals and groups avoid making
decisions. Not making a decision is in itself a
decision. By postponing a decision, you may
eliminate a number of options and alternatives.
You lose control over the situation. In some
cases, a problem can escalate if it is not dealt
with promptly. For example, if you do not handle
customer complaints promptly, the customer is
likely to become even more annoyed. You will
have to work much harder to get a satisfactory
solution.

16. Implement the decision
Once you have made a decision, it must be
implemented. With major decisions, this may
involve detailed planning to ensure that all parts
of the operation are informed of their part in the
change. The kitchen may need a redesign and
new equipment. Employees may need additional
training. You may have to plan for a short-term
closure while the necessary changes are being
made. You will have to inform your customers of
the closure.

17. Evaluate the outcome
Whenever you have implemented a decision,
you need to evaluate the results. The outcomes
may give valuable advice about the decision-
making process, the appropriateness of the
choice, and the implementation process itself.
This information will be useful in improving the
company’s response the next time a similar
decision has to be made.

18. Creative Thinking
Your creative side is most useful in identifying new or
unusual alternatives. Too often, you can get stuck in a
pattern of thinking that has been successful in the past.
You think of ways that you have handled similar problems
in the past. Sometimes this is successful, but when you are
faced with a new problem or when your solutions have
failed, you may find it difficult to generate new ideas.
If you have a problem that seems to have no solution, try
these ideas to “unfreeze” your mind:
Relax before trying to identify alternatives.
Play “what if” games with the problem. For example,
What if money was no object? What if we could organize a
festival? What if we could change winter into summer?
Borrow ideas from other places and companies. Trade
magazines might be useful in identifying approaches used
by other companies.

19. Creative Thinking
 Give yourself permission to think of ideas that seem foolish or
that appear to break the rules. For example, new recipes may
come about because someone thought of new ways to
combine foods. Sometimes these new combinations appear to
break rules about complementary tastes or break boundaries
between cuisines from different parts of the world. The results
of such thinking include the combined bar and laundromat and
the coffee places with Internet access for customers.
 Use random inputs to generate new ideas. For example, walk
through the local shopping mall trying to find ways to apply
everything you see to the problem.
 Turn the problem upside down. Can the problem be seen as an
opportunity? For example, the road outside your restaurant
that is the only means of accessing your parking lot is being
closed due to a bicycle race. Perhaps you could see the bicycle
race as an opportunity for business rather than as a problem.

20. Brainstorming?
Brainstorming is a group creativity technique by
which efforts are made to find a conclusion for a
specific problem by gathering a list of ideas
spontaneously contributed by its members.
In other words, brainstorming is a situation
where a group of people meet to generate new
ideas and solutions around a specific domain of
interest by removing inhibitions. People are able
to think more freely and they suggest as many
spontaneous new ideas as possible. All the ideas
are noted down without criticism and after the
brainstorming session the ideas are evaluated

21. 10 effective brainstorming
techniques for teams
Group brainstorming, if done properly, can
promote creative thinking, bring a team
together, and help you land on the perfect
idea.

22. brainstorming techniques for teams
 Implementing the following group brainstorming techniques
can help you avoid these common woes and instead bring your
team together to yield the perfect idea.
1. Brain-writing: In this nonverbal brainstorming method,
everyone writes down three ideas that relate to the topic of the
brainstorm. Allow about four to six minutes for this process. Then
everyone passes their ideas to the person on their right (or left,
whichever you prefer), who will then build off of the ideas, adding
bullet points or creative strategies. If your team is remote, they
can use a communications platform like Slack to share ideas. After
another few minutes, everyone will pass the piece of paper again
until it makes it all the way around the table. Once the ideas have
made it around the circle, the group discusses them and decides
which ideas are best to pursue.
This technique can alleviate two of the biggest brainstorm
pitfalls—unbalanced conversation and the anchoring effect—by
ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to contribute and
eliminating the bias toward the first idea.

23. brainstorming techniques for teams
2. Rapid ideation: In rapid ideation, everyone writes
down as many ideas as possible in a set amount of
time before any ideas are discussed, critiqued, or
fleshed out. For this brainstorming technique, you will
need to set (and stick to) a time constraint, otherwise
you’ll risk losing the sense of urgency.
This brainstorming exercise can be helpful to avoid the
all-too-common scenario when an idea is shot down
before it has time to grow, transform, and develop. By
allowing everyone to capture their ideas before the
critique begins, rapid ideation avoids the inevitable,
premature shooting down of ideas. The time
constraint can also prevent people from talking
themselves out of an idea before they share it with a
group—a common brainstorming mishap.

24. brainstorming techniques for teams
3. Figure storming: In figure storming, the group picks a well-
known figure who is not in the room—it could be a boss, a
fictional character, or a well-known public figure—and
discusses how that person would approach the problem or
think about this idea. For example, you might ask: How
would Oprah Winfrey approach this problem? It seems like a
silly question, but putting yourself in someone else’s shoes
can help you and your team approach the problem a
different way.
Teammates can sometimes be hesitant to put forth their
creative ideas, but if someone else’s name is attached to the
ideas—Oprah’s, for example—they are more likely to share
it. Also, this brainstorming method removes some barriers
that usually restrict creative thinking, like budget and time.

25. brainstorming techniques for teams
4. Eidetic image method: This visualization-based method recommended by
author and psychologist Jacqueline Sussman employs vivid images stored in our
minds from all of our life experiences. Begin with intention-setting: Have the
group close their eyes and clearly set an intention for what they will create—for
example, an innovative smartphone. Each person in the group sets the intention in
their mind that they will come up with a new phone design unlike previous ones.
After these intentions are set, you will have everyone close their eyes again and
pull forth the first eidetic image: the company’s current phone design. Once
everyone in the group has that image in their mind, you can all begin building
upon that design. Ask the group to picture the current design in their favorite
color or in their ideal size. Ask them to add features they wish the current design
had originally included. Maybe they’ll add a better camera or a larger screen.
After everyone has arrived at an image of their ideal phone design in their mind,
you will randomly ask a team member to share exactly what their enhanced
version looks like. Once they’ve shared, record that idea. Now have everyone
picture that new version of the phone and you can begin layering ideas on top of
it. In the end, you can end up with hundreds of new concrete ideas—ranging from
the color to the features to the size.
This method works best when the goal isn’t to reinvent the wheel but rather to
enhance it. While the group should not focus on costs, their ideas should remain
in the realm of possibility.

26. brainstorming techniques for teams
5. Online brainstorming, aka brain netting: For this group brainstorming
technique, all you need is a central location for team members to write
down their ideas. If all of your employees are in the same time zone, you
can host real-time brainstorms over Slack to develop ideas together. If your
team is distributed, you can put together a running Google doc that allows
team members to write down their ideas whenever inspiration hits,
allowing for busy schedules and time differences. For teams in the same
city, one option is to use We Work On Demand or We Work All Access to
book a conference room or common space for in-person brainstorming
together.
After everyone writes down their ideas, it’s important to follow up to
decide which ideas to pursue, so this technique is best used for idea
capture, with separate meetings for critique, planning, and execution.
This technique encourages remote employees to participate and puts
everyone on the same playing field. You can also keep everyone’s identity
anonymous if that helps the team contribute more freely.

27. brainstorming techniques for teams
6. Round-robin brainstorming: In a round-robin brainstorm,
every member of the meeting participates, contributing one
idea to the brainstorm. The first rule is that the group has to
make it around the whole room at least once before anyone
can contribute a second idea or criticize, elaborate on, or
discuss any of the ideas. The second rule is that no one can
say, “My idea was already said.” You can come back to that
person at the end when they’ve had more time to think. It’s
also a good idea to give the team some time to prepare ideas
before the brainstorm meeting.
Like rapid ideation, this technique encourages (read:
requires) everyone to participate and allows the team
members to get all of their ideas out before moving on to
the critique phase of the brainstorm.

28. brainstorming techniques for teams
7. Step-ladder technique: The step-ladder technique, while a bit
complex, is a great way to make sure the group isn’t heavily influenced
by the first few ideas or by the loudest people in the room. To use the
step-ladder technique, a facilitator first introduces the brainstorming
topic and then everyone leaves the room except for two people. If
you’re working with remote team members, you can use breakout
rooms in a videoconferencing app to facilitate this. Those two
brainstorm together for a few minutes before a third person comes
back into the room. The third person shares some of their ideas, before
discussing the ideas that the first two discussed. Individuals return to
the room one by one, sharing their ideas before learning about the
other ideas that have been discussed. Outside the room, the other
teammates can either continue to brainstorm and write down ideas or
go back to individual work, but they should not discuss their ideas with
anyone until they are inside the room.
If your group is too big, you’re better off going with a simpler
technique, as the step-ladder technique takes some time.

29. brainstorming techniques for teams
8. Mind mapping:
Sometimes, the first idea shared with the group isn’t the right idea, but
it sparks three better ideas—that’s where mind mapping comes in. In
this technique, the group starts with one idea and then draws lines
connecting sub-ideas to the first one. Mind mapping is a visual way to
approach brainstorms and can be helpful for those who think visually.

30. brainstorming techniques for teams
9. Starbursting : Starbursting is a later-stage brainstorming technique
that can be implemented when a group has already selected an idea to
elaborate upon and potentially execute.
In a starburst brainstorming session, your team will start with an idea
or challenge at the center and then create a six-point star around it.
Each point represents a question: who, what, when, where, why, and
how. For example, who is this product targeting? When would be a
good time to launch it? What is our motivation for creating this
product?
Because it focuses on questions rather than answers, starbursting
encourages the group to examine an idea from every angle. Presenting
an idea in this way frees the person who generated the idea from
having to defend it or figure out how to execute it on their own.
Instead, the team works on solutions together.

31. brainstorming techniques for teams
10. Change of scenery:
If your team is all in the same space, moving your brainstorm outside to
a casual lunch place or even a different floor in your building can help
get new ideas flowing. Physical space plays a big part in how employees
work, think, and feel. When a team is constantly brainstorming
together in the same room, with the same group of people, the
brainstorms may feel repetitive and uninspiring. The change of scenery
provided by a brand-new space, even for a short period of time, can
help people think differently and devise new ideas.

32. Brainstorming when wrong?
 There are a lot of factors that can derail a brainstorm, but here
are some of the common reasons a brainstorming session goes
wrong:
 Unbalanced conversation: Extroverted personalities and quick
thinkers dominate the conversation, leaving no time for other
teammates to contribute.
 The anchoring effect: Participants converge on the first few
ideas that are brought up in a brainstorm, which stifles new
ideas and prevents the team from moving on.
 Awkward silence: Participants are unprepared, leaving you
with an hour full of painful silence or—worse yet—a meeting
that is cut short to put everyone out of their misery.
 Disconnected teams: Remote working during the pandemic
requires brainstorming through videoconferencing. The
inherent awkwardness combined with the tendency of people
to talk over one another makes it hard to capture the creative
energy that comes from having everyone in one room.

33. five tips for running effective team
brainstorming sessions
No matter which technique you use, these tips can help you get the
most out of your brainstorming sessions:
Allow people to prep. On-the-spot creativity is hard to spark, so factor
in some prep time. Make sure to email your team the prompt, topic, or
problem you are trying to solve as early as possible so the team can
start to come up with ideas on their own. This means at least one full
day before the brainstorm, if not two—10 minutes before the meeting
is not quite enough time to get those creative juices flowing.
Set a clear intention. Are you looking for very feasible, we-can-make-
this-happen-this-month ideas, or are you looking for never-been-done-
before ideas? Make sure your desired outcome is clear before the
meeting begins.

34. five tips for running effective team
brainstorming sessions
Invite new people. If the same team brainstorms together each week
or month, the ideas can get stale and the group can start to converge
on the same few ideas each time. Inviting a fresh perspective shakes
things up, so make sure that you invite people from different
backgrounds and teams.
Foster an inclusive, supportive environment. “No bad ideas” has
become a brainstorming cliché, but if someone’s idea gets shot down
quickly, they’re less likely to have the confidence to share their next
idea.
Follow up. Recognize that a brainstorm serves a purpose—to foster
new ideas, solutions, products, etc.—but you need to follow up in
order to bring these ideas to life. Make sure to set aside ample time to
narrow down your ideas and pursue a few in a structured manner.

35. benefits of team brainstorming
Traditionally, brainstorming activities are used to produce and concept
new ideas, but, if done properly, the benefits of a brainstorm can
extend beyond ideation.
Boosts group morale: Brainstorming as a group boosts group morale
because the team is working toward a common goal in a creative and
supportive setting. Brainstorms allow teammates to get face-to-face
time together, which is important for team bonding. Withholding
criticisms during the idea-capture phase of the brainstorm is essential
for achieving this benefit.
Promotes creative thinking Oftentimes, people buzz through their day
from task to task without a moment to breathe, even in creative fields.
Setting aside time specifically to let ideas flow freely without
distraction is important and keeps those creative muscles in shape.
Also, rallying people behind a shared topic or idea can help employees
feel less isolated and actually make employees more productive.

36. benefits of team brainstorming
When people walk into a traditional meeting, they’re expected to be
prepared and have the answers to questions. Brainstorms take that
pressure off and allow people to contribute half-baked ideas, even if
those ideas aren’t fully thought through or the perfect solution. Those
ideas can help trigger new ideas from other people in the room, and
the ideas build off of one another (see: mind mapping).
Brings together diverse ideas: The whole is better than the sum of its
parts: Brainstorming in a group setting can yield better results than
brainstorming on your own because everyone comes with their own
strengths and perspective.
Yields a large quantity of ideas: The sheer number of ideas produced
in a group brainstorm makes a strong case for its effectiveness. Every
idea won’t be a winner, but among the ideas that the team comes up
with, a handful will be worth pursuing. That is why it’s important to
follow up each brainstorm with a planning session to push those ideas
into reality.