Making Transformative Decisions Together

Teamwork & CooperationEfficiency & Time ManagementManagers≈ 20 min

Key skill: Collective decision-making

Summary

Structure a group meeting in four steps — catharsis, brainstorming, exploration, decision — to turn team discussions into shared decisions and a clear action plan.

Target audience

Managers or project leads who run meetings.

Learning objectives

Promote participative decision-making, following the lead of organizations that excel at it
Facilitate a reflection-and-decision meeting
Start with Catharsis to encourage and free up expression.
Run a Brainstorming session to gather ideas on the question at hand.

Module outline

StorytellingAn example of a company that transformed its culture through employee autonomy
ArticlesModel companies · A summary sheet of the 4 steps with a detailed diagram · A character tree illustrating the roles
Expert videoThe 4 key steps: catharsis, brainstorming, exploration, and decision
AnchoringA quiz and True/False questions to dig deeper and lock in what you've learned
Memo cardA downloadable coaching memo card: the key takeaways from the expert video
CommitmentConcrete examples to help you define your own commitment
BonusA selection of videos to go further (TED, YouTube)

Models & methods

4-step participative meeting: catharsis, brainstorming, exploration, decision; character tree; the manager-as-coach posture.

Research-based

Companies cited as models: Google (TGIF meetings), Ricardo Semler's Semco, Patagonia, and W.L. Gore & Associates.