Sharing decision making across the organisation

Many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations are exploring ways to draw on all their staff knowledge, experience and ideas in order to make informed, credible decisions. Here are some tips from what they have tried.

• Regularity: Make staff consultation the standard rather than the exception. Engage staff in consensus building about issues when they are complex, and when their knowledge and expertise have the potential to boost the quality of the decisions.
• Early engagement: Involve staff in discussions at an early stage, rather than when a decision is all but made. Engage them in defining the problem, brainstorming possible solutions, assessing the risks, and choosing the best one.
• Clarity: At the outset clarify whether staff input is advisory or binding, and where staff input fits with respect to that of wider community members.
• Openness: Allow staff to raise valid concerns. Demonstrate a desire to learn and discuss issues, and a readiness to make changes based on sound decisions.
• Broad representation: Ensure that you hear not only from the ‘talkers’ (those who often dominate discussions) and the ‘biased’ (those who always express a personal ‘position’), but also from the ‘thinkers’ (quiet and insightful individuals, whose knowledge and ideas are often ignored).
• Efficiency: There are times to consult and there are times to get on with it. The desire to accommodate every view and hear everyone is laudable, but an effective manager knows when to stop ‘the talking’ and begin ‘the doing’.
• Follow-up: Integrate informed staff input into your decision making. But if you decide not to implement the group’s consensus or parts of it, let them know why, while expressing appreciation for their input. This is essential for team-building and morale.