During the last week I was invited to at least three meetings that, in my opinion, were unnecessary. At all three an overly large contingent was assembled to discuss and decide on things that were clearly within the decision-making realm of one individual or group. Mind you, I'm not recommending total anarchy as the solution to our organization's cloying dependence on consensus. However, thinking more than three people are needed to decide whether "Website" is one or two capitalized or lowercase words is a sign that something else is amiss.
Possible root causes to your company's over-reliance on consensus:
- Management is off in mysterious planning meetings leaving decisions to the middles, who either haven't officially been given these accountabilities or are uncertain of their bounds. Solution = quick agreement on limited number of things that need "management approval."
- Company is growing from small startup to business with 50+ employees, requiring formal communication channels; early employees who remember when decisions could be made and communicated within seconds in the one-room environment feel a sense of loss when they're not involved in every single thing. Solution = hold transition event during which new norms are announced and decision-makers are given official go-ahead to be sympathetic to, but unhindered by, yearnings for the past.
- Certain individuals with strong personalities can't seem to "mind their own business," leading to unending questioning of decisions of all sizes and scopes, leading to over-crowded, unnecessary "let's get this on record" consensus decision-making session that can be referenced later. Solution = assertiveness training to help new decision-makers ignore or refute demands of said "Nosy Nosingtons."
Next time you find yourself sitting in an unnecessary meeting, think about these and other potential root causes. You could be a hero to many if you help resolve one of these lingering enablers.
Franny Fried