Advantages & Disadvantages of Team Decisions
The workplace requires that employees make solid decisions, and some companies rely on the power of teamwork to generate new ideas and foster sound decisions by working through differences of opinion to arrive at the best possible course of action. Even though teamwork is generally a positive factor, at times individual decision making is better. Effective managers must consider what is best for each situation.
The Consensus Process
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The consensus process requires a group of people to get together even though they might not agree on many of the issues that they are deciding. As the group works together, the necessity of taking action causes its members to work through their differences and reach common ground on the course of action to take. The discussion makes each party in the process see past his own agenda and work to embrace concepts held to by other members of the group.
Effective Implementation
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A team decision is more likely to be implemented correctly. Because a team member has worked hard on reaching a decision, he has more of a stake in ensuring that the decision of the group is carried out. The group decision should have the buy-in of most, if not all, of the team members, who can then take individual ownership of the decision.
Slow Action
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Teams working together to make decisions often are much slower in the process of decision making and implementation because of the necessity for the group to discuss each action and reach a consensus. In case of an emergency or situations that require urgent action, a team might not act fast enough to meet the requirements for sound decision making.
Team Dynamics
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When groups of people get together to work as a team, individual group member dynamics play a part in how effective or solid the decisions are. A couple of strong personalities on the team can dominate the work that the team must perform and interfere with consensus building, which is one of the more important aspects of sound team decision making. Some team members might not work up to the level of others, and this could cause resentment, interfering with the team dynamic and making sound decisions less likely.
References
Writer Bio
Craig Woodman began writing professionally in 2007. Woodman's articles have been published in "Professional Distributor" magazine and in various online publications. He has written extensively on automotive issues, business, personal finance and recreational vehicles. Woodman is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in finance through online education.