Why talk about culture? Can culture truly be defined?
When working with teams, often they get caught up in the friendliness – or lack of friendliness – of the dialogue in decision-making. If there exists dysfunction, consultants are brought in to help a team work together in ways that reduce dissonance.
Leave the dissonance alone. Dissonance – in life and in music – can often be a very good thing.
Instead focus on the process of decision-making.
For example:
- Set the agenda before the meeting
- Keep the ideas in front of the group using a flip chart or white board
- Focus on IDEAS. (Leave the details for the project manager and their team.)
- Leaders should help clarify the debate
- Summarize
- Test for consensus
- The best idea wins out
This is an example.
The point I am making is this… it’s not culture OR process. Rather the culture is the process.
When making decisions, focus on the process not the people.
