Brave New Work: Are You Ready to Reinvent Your Organization?

by Aaron Dignan

Integrative Decision Making Process Propose. Invite a team member to describe a “tension” they’re trying to solve, followed by a proposal or recommendation. Proposer speaks, everyone listens. Clarify. Going around the table, give each participant the chance to ask questions of the proposer to understand the proposal. Participant asks, proposer answers, everyone listens. React. Going around the table, give each participant the chance to react and/or make suggestions that might improve the proposal. This is their one chance to say whatever they want to say. Proposer accepts feedback but does not reply until the next round. Adjust. Based on the questions and reactions, the proposer may edit the proposal (or not) and clarify anything they felt was unclear. The proposer may also remove the proposal at this time if they no longer wish to pursue it based on what they’ve learned. Consent. Going around the table, give each participant the chance to voice an objection, if they have one. An objection is defined as “a reason this would be unsafe to try or would cause irreversible harm to the team or organization.” This is a high bar by design, as the goal here is progress—a safe step toward resolving the original tension. Integrate. Ask objector(s) to work with the proposer to edit the proposal, making it smaller, faster, better, cheaper—whatever is required to achieve consent from both parties. Once all objections have been addressed, the proposal is accepted. Congratulations, you’ve...