5

Leaders and Group Decisions

Chapter Contents:
,. troduction; .... Leadership and Team Empowerment; -. Group Decision Making: Power and
:Uence in Teams; ...,. Challenges in Team Decision Making; Summary; -. Self Assessment. v·
.' 11

learning Objectives
/ I
.• I
.,1
'''"
After reading the chapter students should be able to understand -
-. Meaning of Empowerment
... Importance of Employee Empowerment for the Organisation
... Various Challenges that arise during Decision Making
... How Power and Influence Impact Decision Making?

).1 Introduction
An organisation n d . . . · . . .
asuccessful e~ s quality dec1s1ons to ensure that 1t succeeds m the market. The difference between
an;:
the situation failed _business is infact dependent upon the decision making of the organisation. In
decision Illa~ ere an important decision is to be taken, team members must also be involved in the
hgt
s11re that the ensure that there are creative and innovative ideas. However, the leader has to make
derive maxi: a ~nges that arise during the collaborative decision making are adequately handled to
l!lfluence that~ enefits out of the group decision-making process. Here arises the role of power and
group decision-~akile_ader has to apply to ensure that the organisational efficiency is enhanced via the
ng process.
 80 I/ Leadership and Team Development

5.2 Leadership and Team Empowerment

A team is a group ofpeople who work together to attain a common goal. A leader has tO
is synergy in the working of the team. It can be successfully achieved when the grou ensure that
that is self-sufficient in taking their own decisions. As a team
. comprises of individupls
a ~a~e ·enlpo.,llicrt
n 18
to make sure that all the team members are empowered mdependently. The empo neces
only be successful if team members are prepared and willing to take on the extra res;ere~ teani
Empowerment brings. onsibiJities

.. Case Study, - Miss.ion Mimgal

Do you remember how Akshay Kumar aka Rakesh Dhawan motivated his team to achieve
feat, it was all made possible because of empowering every member of the team to think out O7 arnillot1i
th
The leader identified the competence of every team member and merged all of them to create e box.
was full of energy to achieve the target. The movie highlighted how the leader could create an ea tearn that
team full of passion, vigour and belief to achieve a common goal. mpowered

Figure 5.1

"Leaders become great, not because of their power, but because of their ability to empower others."
-John Maxwell

"No company, small or large, can win over the long run without energized employees who believein the
mission and understand how to achieve it. " -Jack Welch
"An empowered organization is one in which individuals have the knowledge, skill, desire, anJ
opportunity to personally succeed in a way that leads to collective organizational success. "
-Stephen Covey

''L eauers
,1 hrp · people by providing purpose, direction, and motivation, wh1·te 0r,nerating
· 1s· 111.J,Uencmg
· .n. 10

accomplish the mission and improve the organization. ''. -VS ArinY
Above definition of leadership propounded by the · us Army provides that Empowerment is
t' 1 d . . . . . d E oweflllen
essen 1a an mtrins1c part of leadership. Accordmg to Cambridge dictionary the wor mp h~
can be defined as "The process of gaining freedom and power to do what you want or to control wne,
.,.,ens tO you. " Empowerment can be thus defined as an act to grant authority or power to someo
hap,n
 1
Leaders and Group Decisions II 81

erment is infact considered to be an essenti~l element that has an impact on the individual as
ffllPo'\eain performance. Empowerme?t thu~ helps m ~reating the core competency for an organisation
well as . g the regular employees mto high potential resources for the firm
.....,11sfortnlil ·
bY u... -
re-RequisifeS of Empowerment
p ding to Businessdictionary.com, Empowerment is "A management practice of sharing information,
;..ccords and power with employees so that they can take the initiative and make decisions to solve
rewar' rns and improve service. and per1ormance."However, the empowered workforce cannot be
bl
pro tede overnight and it' reqmres
. tremendous euorts
a on the part of the management as well as the team.
crea
Pre-requisites for Empowerment m an organisation needs following premises to be laid down:
. . .

Participation 'I Innovation

-,~;~(

'et
.
I

Information Accountability

Source: (Dobbs, 1993)

Figure 5.2: Pre-requisites for Empowerement

1. Participation: The most important pre requisite for creating an empowered team is to ensure
that there is full participation from the employees. This can be ensured by ensuring effective
communication between the management and the employees and by providing necessary training
and coaching to make sure that the employees are confident of taking their own decisions.
2. Innovation: Empowerment and innovation are complementary to each other wherein the
organisation has to make sure that the employees are willing to try new ideas. This can be
ensured when the employees know that they have full support of the management. Collaborative
decision making becomes useless if the members introduce no new ideas.
3. Information: In today's world, information/data is the new oil. Correct and timely information
is essential for the employees to make the right decisions. The management has to make sure that
all the information is readily available to the employees to ensure that it can be used for decision
making.
4. Accountability: Various studies have shown that "tagging accountability with authority leads
to better use of authority." Thus, to empower the employees it is necessary that along with the
authority employees are also held accountable to ensure that the employees are giving their
hundred percent.
 82 II Leadership and Team Development

Few examples that show how organisations use the above pre-requisites to ensure that th · .
efficient use of collaborative dec1s1on
· · mak'mg - ere 1s an

Virgin Group uses Innovation and Accountability to Enhance Empowerment

Virgin Group founder Richard Branson provided that "giving people choices, rather than a ri .
of rules to follow, will ensure a feeling of empowennent across teams." To ensure this, emplo gid 8et
the Vrrgin office have a flexible work schedule with no limit on the annual leaves. The workinYees at
makes sure that they are themselves responsible for the completion of their work and hence ar; style
productive during the time of their work. Employees are also free to make their judgement wherein~re
can experiment with the way they work and therefore leaving enough room for innovation Whi h~Y
considered necessary for Empowennent. c 18

Google Makes Sure that its Employees ore Well Informed to Build Empowered Teams
IT giant Google makes sure that all the infonnation, whether it is the lower level or senior level i
available to its employees on time. For this, they even have a weekly meeting called the TGIF _ Th~
God It's Friday. The conference provides a platfonn to review the previous week's products with active
feedback round for effective communication. .

Elements of Empowerment
To ensure that the organisation has a culture of Empowennent, the leaders have to make sure that the
teams have empowered employees. The Empowennent of employees requires the assimilation of 4
elements or the 4E's .

.
(0 Exchange

•
' ;
able

Figure 5.3: Elements of Empowerment

I. Enable: This is the first step towards employee empowennent. Employees should be trained ~d
provided with the necessary resources and infonnation that can enable them to move towar 5
Empowennent. This is the stage where the management has to prov1'de "D'tree t'10n" to the
employees who have low skill and low will in the initial step.
2. Engage: All the employees should be involved in different agendas, targets. They need to be
guided as they have high motivation but are still low on the skills.
, , . . . - - _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ ___:L:.:e:.::a:.:
de:..:.rs:...a:.:n=d:...:G:..:r..:.
o:!.up:..'.D
= e::c::
is::
io::.:n::.
s ~ll~ 8~3

· . Employees should be given a chance to innovate and exchange their ideas with
i~cbange, uires transparent and open channels of communication between all the levels of the
3· wers, lt rei and a 360-degree feedback system for critical appraisal of the views and ideas.
0
agemen
111all • The last stage to ensure that the employees are empowered is to provide freedom
£!llP .. n making to the employees. Th.1s 1s
ower, . an outcome of decentralisation, e11ect1ve
"' .
4. f dec1s10 d nh d . .
o ication system an e ance motivation and skill development. The employees can
co~un elf-actualisation needs, along with fulfilling the organisational goals and objectives.
cb1eve s
a b ve elements need to be there in the organisational framework to ensure that the
All the a toprocess can be smoothly processed:
0
we[111en
eJ11P
• the Empowerment Process
~10ges 10 .
-ent is a long tenn process that cannot be achieved in a day. However, 1f successfully
owe,u•
E111P ted its effects can be spread over the years to come. Employee empowennent reqmres .
i111P1r:ing the values, culture, decision-making capacity within an organisation. Th~ process of
°
tra115 ee empowerment cannot be limited to any step by step process. However, the followmg steps are
e01P10Y • the organ1sat1on.
.al for empowenng • •
essen ti

t Process of Employee Empowerment ) ,,

( Defining company's vision and goals )
I ,'
Changing the management's perception :; I
11
I I'
'1 '1
Determining employee's skills and talent
'~j
I
Figure out the impact of employee's decision
I
( Building up team )
I
( Sharing complete information )
I
( Training and guidance )
I
( Convey expectations )
I
( Share feedback )
Source: Theinvestorsbook.com
Figure 5.4: Steps required for Employee Empowerment

l. Defining company's Vision and Goals: The initial step in the empowerment is to make sure
that the company's goals and vision are clearly defined to ensure that the employees' goals can be
 84 II leadership and Team Development

synchronised with the organisational goals. The leaders have to make empto
. •• • h Yees [
the company's vision and ensure that all the actlvtttes m t e organisation are r, . allliliar .
one common objective. . ocused towarYi111i

2. Changing the management's perception: Empowerment requires changes not ont

of the employees but also the management. Leaders have to make sure that th . Yon the
· · and amongst the manere is a conduP.al\
and favourable thought process in the orgamsat1on
agernent civc
employee empowerment. towar11g
3. Determining employee's skills and talent: Empowerment is possible only when th
are skilled and have the will to contribute. Hence in an attempt to empower the e e elllployees
necessary to find out the competency of the employees. rnptoyees, it is
4. Figure out the impact of employee's decision: Empowerment has its positive
negative effects. Hence, before initiating the process, it is necessary to identify the fu as Well as
(both positive and negative) of employee empowerment. The step would also c tur~ etre~ls
determining the level of decentralisation required. ontrihute in
5. Building up a team: After analysing the skills and competency of the employees th
need to form a team of employees with the desired skills and talent required toe m~agerg
particular task. per 0nn a
6. Sharing complete information: Empowerment can be successful only if the team has ade
resources and reliable information related to the internal working conditions, outside bu ~uate
·
environment, · · and others.
compet1t10n siness
7. Training and guidance: Empowerment is not any task that can be delegated to the emplo e
It requires proper training and guidance to be imparted to the employees to make sure tha{th:s,
can make effective decisions on their own. Y
8. Convey expectations: Apart from providing all the information to the employees, it is necessary
to convey the management's expectation to all the members to make sure that they are clear as
to what they have to target.
9. Share feedback: Sharing of feedback is one of the most crucial element to ensure the
empowerment of the employees. Critical and timely feedback ensures that employees are on
the right track, and they don't feel that they are alone in the journey of task accomplishment.
It acts as a strong motivator to keep the employees positive and charged up to achieve the
organisational goals.

Benefits of Employee Empowerment

1. Increased Motivation: An organisation with empowered employees has increased motivation.
Empowered employees know their responsibilities and work hard to accomplish the goals.
2. Enhanced Creativity and Productivity: Empowered individuals are found to be mor~
committed to meaningful goals, and use their creativity to achieve them. The motivated an
, creative workforce also helps in attaining the goals efficiently.

d
 Leaders and Group Decisions II 85

!\{ore ust in the Leaders:

• ThLeadersh who . support the empowerment of their
. employees are
tr
3. tfllsted by the 1 1
. .subordinates.
f wth e trust e ps m establishment of a cord'1a environment
. that helps
in the facihtat1on o gro . .
1,ess upervision: A self-controlled
. . and empowered work£orce reqmres · 1ess superv1s1on.
••
S
4. Leaders can thus devote their time and energy towards more important issues.
s. £nbances Quality: Empowered employees are more focussed and efficient in their work. It
unproves the quality of the work and als.o enhances all stakeholders' satisfaction.

Drawbacks of employee Empowerment

fJllP""''nnent ?f employees adds a lo! of_value to the organisation, but if it is not implemented properly,
then it can be disastrous for the orgamsatton. Management may be exposed to the following challenges
on the way of empowerment:
. Misuse of Power: Decision-making power in the hands of the employees has the risk of being
1 misused if the authority is used for satisfying self-interest rather than for the attainment of the
organisational goals.
2. Lack of Skill: Empowerment is only possible if the employees have the will and the skill to
take the decisions independently and bear the responsibility for the same. However, in reality,
employees may lack the expertise to execute certain projects that may lead to delay or failure in
the goal accomplishment.
3. Insecurity of the Leader: If the leaders themselves are not sure about the benefits of employee
empowerment, then it may restrict their participation in the process. It may also hamper the
relationship between the employee and the manager as the supervisors may not provide ample
support.
4. Negative attitude of employees: Employees may take the empowerment objective negatively
if they are not adequately educated about its need and benefit. Employees may have a fear of
additional work and responsibility and hence may shirk the empowerment.
5. Security Issues: Employee empowerment necessitates the sharing of information with the
employees. This may lead to security threats if crucial information is made available to the
subordinates without instilling enough trust.
An empowered employee is an asset to the organisation. He is not only more loyal, productive
and dedicated towards the job but also ensures that the organisation has a cordial environment that is
beneficial for all the stakeholders. The task, though is difficult if accomplished, can prove to be the core
competency of an organisation.

5.3 Group Decision Making: Power and Influence in Teams

"Leadership isn't about age but rather, leadership is about influence, impact & inspiration.
-Onyi" Anyado

"The focus should be on becoming a strong and influential personality - cultivate compelling
communication skills, focus on building trust and learn how to expand and leverage your professional
network." -Abhishek Ratna
86 II Leadersl,ip and Team Development

"We all have the power to influence 01 hers. It 1•s up to us' whether we are going to abuse IhatPo
manipulate people or use ti· to hep
l them· " -Abh·1J•t
·· Nas~;
l\le~

r
'

JiJ
'
l
,;j
J ( .

Figure 5.5

Decision making is a crucial and integral part of any team activity. It involves various seque f
activities of collecting and disseminating infonnation, identifying multiple alternative courses of ac~· Ia1
and selecting the best possible one along with coordinating and monitoring the outcome. Decis:~n
making can be done by an individual or can be a collaborative effort called Group decision maki n
These decisions are participatory and are impacted by factors like social influence, leadership qualit~·
and group dynamics. The most significant advantage of Collaborative decision making is the benefit ;
"Synergy" as discussions, brainstonning, critical analysis can help in identifying robust solutions and 0
course of action.

Group Decision Making

A participatory process wherein various individuals collectively analyse the issues, evaluate different
alternatives and select the optimum solution. The decision-making process can be structured or
unstructured wherein the demographics, size, composition, objectives, external contingencies all have
an impact on the process. An important point to note here is that Groups and teams are not the same as
the teams are more closely held as compared to a group. The decision-making process of the two can be
differentiated on the following basis:
• There is a definite leader who leads a group while in the case of a team the roles are shared.
• Members of a group brainstonns, take the decision and delegate the work while upholding
the accountability individually. In contrast, the members of a team do the work and are also
accountable on a collective level.
The decisions made by groups are mostly different from those made by individuals as groups tend to
make decisions that are more extreme than those made by individual members, as individuals tend to be
biased. The group decision-making process is not a rigid one; still it can be outlined in a six step model
as presented below:
 -----------~~=-=-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~::L~ea~d~er.~'S!!_a~ndf!..!!_G~ro~upl!!}_D~ec~is~iof!!_n~sJlll !:87

/ Problem Identification

Establishing the Criteria

}
Identifying Potential Alternatives

( Evaluating the Alternatives }

( Implement the Solution }
Monitor and Evaluate the Outcome

Figure 5.6: Group Decision Making Process

1. Problem Identification: It is the most critical step in group decision making process. The issue
needs to be addressed carefully and precisely to make sure that the nature of the problem is
apparent. The premises on which the problem is based should be explicitly mentioned. If the
issue is complex, then it should be divided into smaller components to address them on an
individual basis.
2. Establishing the Criteria: After identification of the problem the next step is to establish
the criteria that would help in the selection of the alternative and in determining whether the I
solution is successful or not. Selection of appropriate criteria is necessary as it helps in laying .,
I

down the importance level.For example: whether the time dimension is essential or the accuracy
is mandatory, and it would further help in selecting the alternative and justifying its selection.
3. Identifying Potential Alternatives: Identification of problem accurately and laying down the
criteria for the selection of the solution helps in the identification of the probable solution. In
this stage, the group leader tries to extract as many ideas as possible to make sure that no aspect
is left untouched. For extraction of ideas, different group decision-making methods can be used ·
like brainstorming, Delphi technique, Consensus decision making, Nominal group technique,
Dialectic technique, Decision tree technique, amongst others. The leader has to make sure that
all probable solutions are highlighted in this stage without fear of any critical analysis.
4. Evaluating the Alternatives: After getting a list of potential solutions, the next step is to assess
every alternative in terms of its pros and cons. Generally, it is found that the members do not
have consensus on any single idea, and hence it becomes all the more critical for the group
leader to explain the idea in detail. The group leader also has to make sure that no member
is left unsatisfied about the feasibility of the selected alternative as it would ensure the full
commitment of all the individuals.
5. Implement the Selected Solution: Evaluation of alternatives helps in identifying the pros and
cons of each option along with highlighting the resources required to implement them. All the
previous steps helped in laying down the foundation for the final action, which involves taking
action and implementing the selected alternative.
88 II Leadership and Team Development
. and Evaluate th e Outcom~: Talcing the action
6 Momtor . is notI sufficient
h if it is n t foll
0
· . . d f n to identify if the alternative can so ve t e problem opf OIJ,,edi...
momtormg an eva Iua 10 b k t th bl 111lal!y ..,
d . t' . the results is observed, then it is better to go ac o e pro emidentifi . If an..
repeat the steps. n

Advantages of Group Decision Making

Group decision making is a situation wherei~ ~divid~ls collect!vel~ m~e a choice from the aitern .
available before them. The participatory dec1S1on making help~ 1~ bnngi~g the benefits of syner atrves
with the sharing of information. However, l~e ~y other dec1s10n malcmg the group decision~ al~ng
also has its shares of pros and cons that are h1ghhghted here: aking

Diversity

e·~f½nGm,p>,~~)
. • ...... of

~s. ~'······~ .:~)

Team
Building .

"0
Figure 5.7: Advantages of Group Decision Making Process

1. Brings diversity in the decision-making process: Group decision making helps in bringing
different individuals having different strengths together in problem-solving. The core competency
of every individual could be used to create a superior solution than what would have been there
if decision making was done on an individual basis.
2. Facilitates change: When decisions are made on a group level, it not only fosters creativity but
also makes sure that the changes are accepted by all in the organisation. Group decision-making
process makes sure that the need for the change, benefits and the drawbacks of the probable
solution is explained well to the group members so that there is the least resistance to change.
Moreover, when all members of the group are involved in decision making, there is a very low
probability that they would create any hurdle to the perceived change.
3. Boosts morale and leads to a higher level of Job satisfaction: Commitment of the members
to the group decision making enhances the level ofjob satisfaction at an individual level. People
are not only happy about going to work but also feel that they have an opportunity to learn
something new. It helps in cross-training that leads to higher productivity and reduced employee
turnover.
 Leaders and Group Decisions II 89

es a conducive wor_king environment: _Group decision making takes the ideas from all the
creat bers ofthe team and involves
. th all nfl'
of them m problem-solving. Enhanced i'nterac t'ion between
4·
me!Il embers help~ in red~c~ng. e co icts and ~ro?1?tes a healthy working environment in the
them. tion. Active participation from all the individuals of the group helps in building the
organ:s:f the team and creates a healthy and coordinative relationship among the members of
mora e of the particular group that leads to team building.
the tea!11 . . .
Risk: Generally, individuals are reluctant to take any decision as they are hesitant to
shared h d .. akin b .. .
5· take the risk. When _t e ec1S1on ?1. g. eco~es participative, then the risk is shared between
th group members instead of residing with a smgle person. Sharing of risk hence makes it more
;ely for the group to undertake an innovative solution and move ahead of the status quo.
1
Better Information: This is one of the most significant benefits of the group decision making
6· as members are encouraged to share information with each other where everyone has the chance
to contribute their unique expertise and experiences to the final solution. Sharing of infonnation
within the organisation not only promotes unity but also leads to better decision making.
All the above advantages show how group decision making satisfies the quote "The more the merrier"
herein it not only provides the benefit of diversity and experience but also helps in sharing of the risk
~d information. However, the method is not devoid of its cons that are highlighted below:

Group think
,:,

nrea!istlc l'.,' • -~ . 4 ~ Group sh0ft

ecis1ons ; .,,
I .
/' Drawbacks of Group). '
( ..:, Decision Making · j
educed
ountablllty v- ,J · Time
Consuming

No
Participation

0
Figure 5.8: Drawbacks/Pitfalls of Group Decision Making

1. Group Think: William H. Whyte came out with the term Groupthink in the year 1952 which
was later researched by Irving Janis in the year 1972 wherein he defined the term as: "A mode
of thinking people engage in when they are deeply involved in a cohesive in-group when the
members striving for unanimity override their motivation to realistically appraise alternative
courses of action. "
Groupthink is considered the biggest obstacle in Group decision-making, as there are usually
conformity pressures in groups. The desire by group members to be accepted and considered an
asset to the group can result in squashing any overt disagreement and coming out with different
I/ 90 II Leadership and Team Development

ideas. To avoid such a scenario the group leader has to make sure that there is · . .
all the employees, the leader can motivate the employees to come up Wit:~rt•c1Pati 011 t
inste_ad ofjust going with the flow. Innovative i~:

Source: psychologenie.com
Figure 5.9: Groupthink

2. Group Shift: It is a special case of Groupthink wherein individual decisions make wa fi

exaggerated group decisions. In Group shift, the position of an individual in the group ch y or
to adopt a more extreme position due to the influence of the group. The main difference be:ges
~e Gr?upthink an?group shift is that whi~e, in Groupthink, the individual discards his perso::~
view; m group shift, he has the opportunity to present an extreme position of it. Both Grou

r think, and Group shift have an adverse effect on Collaborative decision making.
3. Time-Consuming: Group decision making can be fruitful only when ample time is available so
that aII the members of the group are allowed to provide their inputs. However, taking the advice
p

I
I
of aII the group members would take more time as compared to individual decision making.
4. No participation guarantee: Though group decision making would give fruitful results only if
there is fulI participation from all the members, but still, there is no guarantee that everyone will
have active involvement in the decision making. Many people choose to remain silent because
of different reasons, and such dormant behaviour proves the whole decision-making activity to
be futile.
5. Reduced Accountability and Lack of Onus: Group decision making sometimes can lead to
the problem of Group shift wherein the members can take on more risk and later on try to blame
others. People with lower professional maturity levels will seek ways to make themselves look
better at the expense of others. If a group decision-making process fails, then there c'.111 ~e a
significant amount of uncertainty about who should bear the blame in the situation. Bemg m a
group situation makes it a simpler process to blame others for poor results.
6. Groups tend to converge on extreme soIutions . •
mstea d of rea1·IS t·1c ones·• When all the
members jointly take a decision then they might feel less responsible for the final decision as
. . m ak'mg. Th"1s can 1ead a group to choose
they are not the only ones who are part of the dec1s10n
extreme solutions more often than the most realistic ones.

d
 • L,ader, and Group Decision, II 91

. . · Making encourages individuals to provide d' .

,, pec1s1obn rs To get the maximum benefit of collaborat1'1verdse ~d~as and share them with the
,ovr J11 e · . ve ec1s1on mak' th
op .,e that there is a healthy environment in the or . . mg, e group leader
Ogr.,,aJ{e
otJ!er 0 sure J-Iowever the participative decision makin . gamsfratton that supports participation
10 w bers, ' g is not ee from 'ts r · · ·
11as all (lle!ll . lated and suffer from the restriction of Groupthink d a· I ~m1tattons as it can
~oJll . t11an1pu b th 1 td an roup shift amongst others
• !y ,nd cons have to e us eva. ua . e carefully to facilitate the dectsion-makmg
.. . proc f ·
"'"e pros
51 onlY used for group dec1S1on making are highlighted be! . · ess. ew
,,. dS c0nt!ll ow.
111et110

Figure 5.10: Methods of Group Decision Making

,\\'
·' I
1. Brainstorming ~l
Toe technique was developed in 1939 by an American advertising agency and since then it has been
widely used by business, government, and military institutions. It is a technique where group members
use their brain to storm a problem creatively. The method is useful when the issue is precise and can be
clearly defined to discuss various ideas. The session is usually unstructured, where the leader presents
the problem to the group and then solicits ideas from the members of the group. No evaluation of the
ideas is generally encouraged until all the opinions are exhausted to ensure that there is freewheeling.

Figure 5.11: Brainstorming Session

dl
P: j
I
92 II leadership and Team Development

Eva1ua1
Set a lime limlt Ideas 9 /lie

Problem
D Statement
Gathering the
Group

Figure 5.12: Steps Involved in Brainstorming

Advantages of Brainstorming Technique

• Allowing group members to present their idea leads to their broader participation.
• Group members feel a sense of belongingness and exhibit enthusiasm and involvement.
• Acceptance of the brainstormed idea after thorough evaluation makes sure that the memb
devoted to the task accomplishment. ers are
Disadvantages of Brainstorming Technique
• Brainstorming may lose its essence if there is one person that dominates the entire process.
• Results may be ineffective if 'Freewheeling' is not fairly promoted and members have a fear th
their ideas may be criticised or looked down upon. at

2. Delphi Technique

"Olaf Helmer and Norman Dalkey of RAND developed the Delphi method in the 1950s, originally to
forecast the impact of technology on warfare. The method entails a group of experts who anonymously
reply to questionnaires and subsequently receive feedback in the form of a statistical representation of
the "group response," after which the process repeats itself. The goal is to reduce the range of responses
and arrive at something closer to expert consensus. The Delphi Method has been widely adopted and
is still in use today (RAND.org)". The technique is based on the presumption that decisions which
I
come from a structured group are more accurate as compared to those from the unstructured group/
j I individual. The main objective of the Delphi technique is to predict future developments in a given area

1
by integrating the independent opinions of experts in a structured, iterative manner. Face-to-face group
discussion among the experts is avoided to eliminate criticism and compromise on good ideas. Delphi
technique involves the following steps:

Appointment of Identification of ,--J\. Defining the ,.-1\. Initiating the ..b!.,. Generating
Facilitator _,,.. Experts Y Problem 71' Iteration -,, Report

Figure 5.13: Steps in Delphi Technique

Step 1: Appointment of Facilitator - This is the first step of the Delphi method, which reqm.refs
identification of a neutral person that can also cater to the research and data requirements 0
 Leaders and Group Decisions II 93

a facilitator. It is the facilitator who not only coordinates the entire process but also sends
stlonnaires and accepts responses from the experts. The facilitator is also responsible for
que .ding feedback to the experts and generating the final forecasts
proVJ . . ·
. Identification of Experts - This is th~ most ~rucial element of the Delphi process as the
steP Z, soundness of_the ex~ert would determme the idea generation. Experts can be from within
the organisation or mdustry but should possess relevant knowledge and experience of a
particular topic.
: Defining the Problem The cor~ of the Delphi proc~ss i_s the identification of the problem
Step 3 so that experts can provide a precise and comprehensive idea. ·
• Initiating the iteration -After defining the problem, experts are provided with the questions
4
step · whose responses are then collected, scrutinised and irrelevant information is removed. The
first round is based on more general inquiries, and its answers form the base for the further
tound wherein the questions become more and more specific. The iterations are continued
till a satisfactory level of consensus is attained.
Step S: Generating Report - After all the iterations, the facilitators arrive at an agreement that
provides the most useful and top quality information as the solution to the problem.

,,l?~

-
Step 1
- ~,
11

1
Facilitator produces
Facilitator seeks Experts respond _to ) Facilitator compiles the ) report on experts'
individual the request, receive responses and sends
feedback and a revised set of responses, noting
assessments from ) key outliers.
a pool of experts. revise their questions to each
responses. expert. Several cycles
of feedback may be
needed.

Source: liberaldictionary. com

Figure 5.14: An overview of Delphi Method

Advantages of Delphi Method

• The most significant advantage of Delphi method is that different views and opinions of experts
can be included in the solution.
• Experts that are physically apart can also contribute, as Delphi method does not require face to
face interaction.
• As there is no physical contact between the experts, so ego clashes, interpersonal conflicts can
be avoided.
Disadvantages of Delphi Method
• Multiple iterations until attainment of a consensus lead to increased cost and time consumption.
• The technique loses the motivation and enthusiasm that is present in the face to face interaction.
94 II Leadership and Team Development

3. Dialectical Inquiry
The technique is not suited to all problems as it is only applicable when there are two Ptobable so1 ,
to an issue like Yes or No. llti°lls
Examn/e: Whether to start a new product line or not, the answer may be yes or no. 'l'1..
decision .,,require an extensive and exhaustive
. d1scuss10n
. . and mves
. t'igat'10n smce
. a Wrong.tuese
d .typ
. es of
have serious consequences. As per this. techmque,
. the members are d'1v1'ded Into
. groups ec1s1on
_ can
supporting the idea and the others advocating against it. Both the group members have to high~~e 0nes
advantage of their decision and undermine the other group. Ight the
Dialectical Inquiry involves the following steps:
• Identify the problem and generate its potential broad solution.
• Identify the assumptions that underline the potential solution.
• Generate different proposals/alternatives that are conflicting to each other (say to go for mer
or not). ger

• Identify the proponents of each argument and engage in debate providing the pros and c
each a1ternative.
. .· ons of
• Make a, decision whether to go for Alternative A, B, C.. ,,,as it is or to use a combination of bofu
or to reJect all and generate a new alternative based on the previously identified options.

Proposal A
generated Proposal B
generated

Assumptions
underlying A are Assumptions
identified underlying B are
identified

Presentation of A's
pros and cons Presentation of B's
pros and cons

Choose A or B Compromise of
A and B New alternative

Source: nwlink.com
Figure 5.15: Illustrative example of Dialectical Inquiry
 Leaders and GrounD ·.
r ec1s1ons II 9S
f Dialectic Decision Method
vall
tages oost significant advantage of the meth d .
10 , '[be J.1l:.,gle alternative
I' • ' th o is that 1't
at may arise if group me b overcomes the problem Of '
to a Su• ak
, iecti< method m es sure that full consider f ers overlook diit Agreement
d1a . . . a ion is given to 1 erent alternatives Th
'11,e techrnque provides a stlffiulus for creati 'ty . a l the other options. . e
,au ~rtpr
ajternatives. . omotes the <level opment of different

ntages of Dialectic Decision Method

pisadva . . .
' '[be Jllethod .1s a tlffie consuming
' one and h ence is
. smtabl
. 1 .
tiJlle constraint. . e on y m the cases when th ere 1s
. no

' There might be a conflict between the opp osmg

• membe "fth .
healthy manner. rs 1 e discussion is not carried out in a

There is another method of group decision maki h'1ch1sashghtv

. ...
i,.,own as e 'Dev1·1, s advocacy ' wherein there ngw
i
. t' f .
ana ion o the Dialectic approach
th d th ft 1 kin s a member who act ..
IU'
ernatrve an
•
en a er oo g at the pros and th s as a critic for the presented
a . d e cons the alte f ·
lt
eiected or mod1fie to act as the solution of the define d problem.ma ive 1s assessed and then accepted'
r1

Presentation of chosen alternative

t
Critique of chosen alternative

t
Reassessment of chosen alternative
(Accept? Modify1 Reject?)

Figure 5.16: Devil's Advocacy

4. Nominal Group Technique

The technique was developed by Delbecq and VandeVen. The method is similar to brainstorming
approach of decision making but is more structured wherein the group members acting individually
form a comprehensive list of the ideas.
Nominal Group Technique involves the following steps:
• Identification of the problem and its notification to the group members.
• Members identify the solutions independently and note them down.
• The ideas are then presented one by one in a structured manner and listed down in writing till all
the alternatives are exhausted.
• Members ask questions to clarify the doubts related to the alternatives.
• Each choice is then evaluated and rated by all the members of the group. No criticism or
negative comments are encouraged to ensure that maximum alternatives can be obtained from

the members.
 96 11 Leaders/tip and Team Development

An example of the score/ranking is given in the table below where the me~bers are asked t
.
a score between I to IO to different "d
I eas sue
h that greater mark represents higher rank . o Prllv1d~
.

Idea Member A Member B Member C Member D

I 4 I 4 1
2 5 2
3 7
3
4
4
5 2 3
6
6 2
2
7 2
2
8 4
4
9 3 3
6
10 4
4
Figure 5.1 7: Example of the Nominal Group Technique

Idea I has got the highest score of IO and is thus the optimum solution for the problem being discussed.
Advantages of Nominal Group Technique
• All the group members have an equal weightage in listing out the ideas.
• There is no issue of 'Groupthink' as a single member carmot dominate the group decision mak.in
g,
• Individual decision making fosters creativity and helps in the generation of new ideas.
Disadvantages of Nominal Group Technique
• The method is time-consuming as only one issue can be discussed at a time.
• The benefit of cross-fertilisation of ideas due to group interaction is not possible.

5. Decision Tree
The method helps in outlining the alternatives available along with their expected outcomes graphically.
I I
All the options are then evaluated to arrive at the most feasible one.
A simple decision tree for the business problem of expanding sales can be depicted as follows :

I Business Problem = Sales Expansion I

...
... +
Launch a New Product Modify Existing Product
(Cost= f500 Crores)
I
(Cost= f100 Crores)
I
,L. • + ... • +
Success Failure Success Failure
Probability= 0.3 Probability= 0.7 Probability= 0.8 Probability = 0.2

Figure 5.18: Decision Tree Example

 1
Leaders and Group Decisions II 97

~n tree Analysis
pec1s10
tePs ill •fication of the problem
S , ldeott . of different alternatives ·
aeoerauon ... .
• . nt of the probab1hties to the various alternatives
f.SSlgrune .
• 'fi ation of the expected outcome across different alternatives
t QUaJltl C . . .
. n of the different alternatives and selectmg the optimum one
• evaluaUO .
of Decision Tree
dv!lotages . d' ir l
. •mple to project 1uerent a ternatlves.
.
It 1s s1
: The technique is easy to use and versatile

tages of Decision Tree

pis!ldvan . ..
, Jfthere are many alternatives, then the dec1s1on tree might have many bushes and may become
complicated.
, The estimation of the probabilities can be a tedious and challenging task.

6. consensus Mapping
It is th~ group decision-making technique that aims to bring about an agreement amongst the group
members. The method is suitable for the multidimensional problems involving various sequential
interconnected steps.
.•,,,
I!
Steps in Consensus Decision Making
, Identification of problem and creation of a core group that acts as a facilitator. ~I
, Subgroups are created based on cluster identification.
, Subgroups submit their ideas to the core group.
• AStrawmanMap is prepared that provides the tentative conclusion based on the recommendations
of the subgroups. The strawman map can be used by the task groups to revise or reconsider their
ideas.
• Reviews are done, and iteration is continued till a consensus is achieved.

Advantages of Consensus Decision Making

• Participation of all the members of a group leads to empowerment and cooperation of all the
group members.
• It leads to equal distribution of power in an organisation.
• It leads to better implementation as there is consensus by all group members.

Disadvantages of Consensus Decision Making

• There might be a mismatch in the individual power that may lead to conflict and delay in decision
making.
• The continuous iterations to reach a consensus might lead to a compromised decision.
 98 II Leadership and Team Development
• Not eve one in the group may have the skills required to contribute to the d .. .
process or · th at may lead to reduced morale of such group nie
ry consensus execution, ecis1on. tna~-
0
The list is not exhaustive as there can ~e va~ious other me~od~ adopted by the group lea:bers. ' ~
a particular decision. There can be mod1ficat10ns ~d combmat1ons of the above ways th er to ado
the leaders in deciding about a specific course of actwn. Even th e power of the leader h at can hPt
..
impact on the dynamics of the group dec1s1on-m . aIthough synas a sign .fic e1p
aki ng process. p ower 1s
1
authority but it can be dependent on either the position or the leader's personality and. onylllous w~nt
, b 'd . is also d'1 1th
from the influence that a leader can have on the group mem ers unng the collaborat· lfere
th d · · aki
making process. Impact of Power and Influence on e eciswn-m ng process within a ec,si 011_ IVe d . Ot

explained in the topic ahead. group is

Group Decision Making - Role of Power and Influence

A leader supports Group decision making by using the power to influence others and get th·
Two words that are most commonly used with decision making are - Power and Influence Th lflgs done,
related to naturally possessed traits that arise out of authority; however, the two are not s~noey are both
they differ in the approach being followed for the completion of the work. The difference b °:1°llsas
two - Power and Influence is given in the table below: e een the
Power forces people to complete a task while influence helps them understand why that ta .
necessary. sk 1s

Table 5.1: Power Vs Influence

Approach
Power Influence -
Power generally relies on force, threats, Influence is Voluntary wherein employees
punishments to get the task completed. are encouraged through negotiation
.
persuasion to complete the task.
Basis It is based on positional authority. It is based on relationships.
Freedom It is micromanaged, the leader mainly It follows an interdependent approach
takes the decisions that reduce the where both the leader and the followers
morale of the team. It thus follows an are dependent on each other for decision
independent approach where the leader making and execution.
has all the freedom to take the decision.
Line of Formal lines of authority based It makes use of the feedback system
Communication on the organisational hierarchy IS wherein all members have the liberty
followed wherein it's the leader who to discuss and give their input for the
communicates all the decisions to the decision making. Communication is,
team. Communication is, therefore, therefore, bidirectional.
unidirectional.
Employee An autocratic leadership style that boasts A leader focusing on influence has
Retention of power leads to a disengaged workforce heightened employee motivation and
with a high employee turnover. engagement that increases employee
retention. -
r • &(,ences
.
between power and influence encouraged .
d
Leaders and G

various resea h
oup Decisions

ove di11er se to this John French an ~ertram ~aven propounded 'Pow re ers to study the two in
II 99

Ab!Jlresp011 n boW leaders can motivate their team by usin th . er and Influence Theory' .
~ l~tfocus•:,<:, of power that crop up from two bases- Posilfon ~ir pdower and/or influence. Th:
,,,~. edfive fo1l•• a an Personal.
.Je~un
1u ,. e·
ases of Power

Positional Personal

Legitimate Expert

Reward Referent

Coercive

Figure 5.19: Bases of Power

positional Power
Toepower that arises because of the organisational hierarchy that flows downwards from top to bottom. ',

!tcan be further classified into:

I. Legitimate: Power that arises due to the organisational structure. Example - CEO, President all
have power because of the position they hold; however, there is a risk oflosing control on losing
the position.
2. Reward: Power that rests in the leader because of the perception of the follower about the
leader's ability to mediate rewards for the subordinates. Promotions, Salary hikes, compliments
are some examples of rewards that can be controlled by people having power. However, the
limitation here is that superiors generally don't have full control over the rewards like salary
hikes and promotions, and the reward may not be sufficient to motivate the employees. Also, the
reward may lose its effectiveness if it does not have enough perceived value to others, or it is
given regularly to the subordinates. th
3· Coercive: It is one of the least effective and abusive kinds of power wherein leader coerces e
employees to do something that is against their will. However, the limitation is tha~ it can lead
to unhealthy behaviour and dissatisfaction at work. Leaders who use this leadership style rely
on threats in their management styles and may relate to dismissal or demotion. "Of all thet bases
of power available to man the power to hurt others is possibly the most often used, moS often
condemned and most difficult
' to control (Kipnis 1976)"
p .
ersonalp
1'h ower
bee Power that . , l'ty
1 and expertise. It can
furthe .anses due to relationships. It depends on the leader s persona
r c1assified mto:
.
 100 II Leadership and Team Development
1. Expert: The power that arises due to the posses~ion of ~owledga~le skills or ~
You ever thought why a teacher who is an expert m a particular field Is able to draw the · tiave
of the students and seems to possess a lot of power an d 1"nfl uence overth em? This is thatten.ho11
that arises because of personal factor and is called.the expert power. Leaders who have e Power
power are able to earn the trust and respect of the employees and harness it for a 1an expert
· · of the formal authority
irrespective · bemg· possesse d bY th em. ong ter,,.
·••1
2. Ref~rent: Have you ever thou~ht why celebrities are paid a huge amount for endorsing a
particular brand? The answer 1s because they possess the Referent power wherein the ny
influence the buying behaviour of the consumers. A leader having Referent power is con _Yd can
• SJ ered
a role model and hence to make sure that the power h as a 1ong term impact the leader h
. 1t
com b me · w1"th the mtegnty,
· · h onesty an d expert power. as to
An efficient leader is one who not only uses the power to accomplish the target but is also ab]
. 1"nfl uence on the team. Influence occurs wh en a person ,s emot10ns,
exert h 1s • . .
opm1ons, or behaviourse to
affected by others. Influencing the team is infact one of the most critical leadership skills that help in :e
attainment of objectives by persuading and encouraging team members. Leaders use various skills th:
can help them in influencing the team members: a

Source: Center for Creative Leadership

Figure 5.20: Influencing Skills .

1. Organizational Intelligence: Effective Leaders understand how things work in an organisation.

They understand how both the formal and informal organisational structures are intenning!ed
and are essential for goal attainment. It is necessary to understand the reality of the organisational
working such that teams can be influenced and motivated to take up new initiatives.
2. Team Promotion: Influential leaders know how important it is to promote teamwork. This is
the reason why most big corporates nowadays have team meets get-togethers to ensure tbat
there is a healthy relationship and development of trust in an orga~isation. It not only fa~ilitates
everyday work but also helps in creating an environment that values equality and diversity.
 7
Leaders and Group Decisions II 101
'Jding· Developing trust amongst the peopl~ in an organisation is th
frtlst JJUlf Jead~rship. If there is no trust, then leaders would not be able t he most critical
3. JeJJlent o d capabilities of the team members. Leaders who can ins . o admess the full
e ·al an . • h • . Pll'e an support the

w~:
otentI during chaotic times ave maximum influence on them T t b
P dinates th c. II b d h . · rus can e developed
s11bor leaders push e io owers eyon t el.I' comfort zones but simultaneousl . .
0
11IY the support, guidance and a shoulder to rely on. Y providmg
t11e!J1 wi . g Networks: W'th ·
i gig_!'I.Ilt ic · d orgamsations
' size · · having diverse networks 't b
rag1n th 1 d .
1tivate the power of networks Infl
, 1 ecomes
1,eve
4· the mor e critical for e , ea ers to
. cu . uent·1a1 1eaders
all d the importance of a dynamic network and strategically tap them
u!lderstan · ·

l (hollenges in Tearn Decision Making

'
4 is a group of people who sh~e a ~ommon te_am p~o~e _and several challenging goals. It needs
·•Ate~~ iiated from a group which is a collection of md1viduals who coordinate their individual
10 Members of the team are mutua11Y comm1tte
be diueren · d to the goals and each other (bizjournals.com)."
efforts• anisation promotes teamwork as it fosters creativity that helps in enhancing efficiency and
°
An .rgi·ty Inspite of many benefits that accrue out of working in a team, it also faces many challenges
produc1,v • 'gh . .
an make the teamwork a m tmare. An efficient leader 1s not only aware of these challenges but
tbat led also try to overcome them. Few challenges that arise in team decision making are:
wou .

'\' j

I
Personal ''
Bias

Figure 5.21: Challenges of Team Work

1. Lack of Trust: Trust is essential for the success of any team. Trust requires all the team members
to be well acquainted with each other to make sure that they trust and support each other in all
tbe entleavours to achieve the team goals. However there is generally a lack of trust amongSt
team ' • .. aki
members that can prove to be one of the biggest challenges m the team decision m ng.
2· Cono· t· . . nowadays 1s . how· •to manage m · t_erpersonal
_ic · The biggest challenge in team working
conflicts · In 1arge organisations
. . . • d
havmg members from vane cu1tura ac 1 b kgrounds ' 1t .becomes
II
a the.more important
· .
he! how the leader handles the disputes as d'""'
1uerent people thinking d1fferently
. .
re pis m expanding knowledge and insight where innovation can happen and lead to fl.ounshmg
su ts.
 102 II Leaders/rip and Team Development
. ledge sharing is one of the most significant advant
3. Not sharing Informatwn:
decision ~aking, _but ~ow:; jfeet::: t equal to power if it is not shared. Teams th t age of gr
members to facilitate their growth. The tea; : e effec~~~
share the1r expertise ~1th ah di ·n knowledge sharing amongst team members. 1 ader has.:
make sure that there 1s no ur e 1 . . 'I)

. Transparency is of utmost importance m the team decisio

4. La~k of Transpalren_cy.b '!ding the trust amongst the members but also make sun niaki~&
as 1t not only he ps m ui f . re th
the m. tiormat10n
. 1s. shared within the team. Lack o transparency• • h' a big challenge foat al!
acts
..
dec1s10n-m akers as I·th'mders the mutual trust and be1ongmgness wit m the group th at rendt the
the participation ineffective. ers
5 L I I f Participation: Team decision making requires participation from every
. ow eve o . th b' . An ""' . rneOJb
to ensure that members go an extra mile to attam e o ~ectlve. euective team leade h er
make sure that all members consider · themselves an mtegra
· I part of the team, which· is inr·1as to
challenging task. I se)f a

6. Role Uncertainty: Working in a team has its pros and cons. While on one side, it he) ,
bringing new ideas and shared respons1'b'I' 11ty, on the oth s1kine,
'd 1't ~h1g
. ht be not very clear
Ps 1to
n
understand the role that each team me~ber has t~ P ~Y· vvor g wit . ~any people might be
1
difficult for people who have been habitual of taking mdependent dec1s10ns. This is where the
team leader has to play a vital role to clearly define the role of each team member to ensure th
.
there is no role conihct. u

7. Personal Biases: Participative decision making is not free from individual biases wherein tea
members are more comfortable with their ideas and concepts and resist what is unfamiliar :
new. The difference in opinion may thus lead to conflict and delay in team decision making.
To overcome the above challenges imbibed in team decision making, the manager has to make sure
that the following steps are undertaken:
I. Clearly define the problem: When the problem is clearly defined, and all the team members
understand it in the ·same context then half the battle is won as the members would be then
focussed towards one goal only without any personal biases.
2. Promote innovative and critical thinking: Team leader has to make sure that there is a conducive
environment for creative thinking. It would ensure that there is maximum participation from all
the members.
3. Efficiently manage the disagreements: Wh'en more than one individual is involved in the
decision making, disagreements are bound to crop in. The leader thus has to make sure that
differences are efficiently handled.
4. Try to have inclusive discussions: The leader has to make sure that there are inclusive
discussions, and just one individual does not comer the decisions. It is essential to avoid the
possibility of 'Groupthink' and gamer the benefits of diverse thinking.
5. Have an open communication channel: The most important challenge in decision making where
more than one individual has a role to play is how efficient are the channels of communication.
The leader has to make sure that there there is wide and open communication between the
members to handle the queries and grievances along with knowing the ideas of the members.
 Leaders and G .
roup Decisions II 103
onsibility to each team member: Bain and company dev 1
~ssigll Res.~ s that each member of the team should be assigned 'th e o~ed 'RAPID' model,
6, .•,picb proVl d\ided the responsibilities into five categories a whi a P~rticular responsibility.
'(I odel I . .. . f ' s s own m the dia bl
file J1l th espons1b1hty o every team member makes sure th t th . . gram e ow.
\1idiflg er a ere is active engagement by
01 r11embers.
an the•"
RAID Model Components

Agree Perform Input Decide

Figure 5.22

decision making is crucial for the success of- any organisation as it not only enhances its
Te~ •ty but also helps in its growth. However the top management has to ensure that there is a
product!Vla!11 culture mt
. he organ1sat1on
. . wherem . healthy debate 1s
. encouraged, new ideas are welcomed
bealthYte are no hurdles in the channels of communication and information flow '
.

There are various inst~ce~ '.111d quo~es that provide how group decision making is better than the
decision making by an md1V1dual as 1t allows for the synergistic benefits. Group decision making is
aparticipative process wherein v~ous individuals collectively analyse the issues, evaluate multiple
alternatives and select the best option. The process, however, is not free from the limitations and there
are issues of lack of trust, information sharing, lack of participation amongst others. The team leader
thus has to make sure that the limitations of the participative decision making is minimized which can
be done using his power and influence. Group decision making also helps in empowering the team
members. Empowered teams are self-sufficient groups of people working together with specific goals.
They have the corporate authority, experience, responsibility and skills to enact their own decisions for
the organization.

(I Self Assessment
1. What are the challenges that a team leader has to face during the team decision-making process?
2· Why is it essential to understand different types of power that a leader can possess. Discuss.
3
· What are the various steps involved in Group decision-making process?
4. Differe f b
n iate etween Team and Group.
5. Identify different real-life situation where group decision making has helped to achieve the goals
smoothly· Yiou can take the example of group proJects
· a1so.
6· What t ·· ?
s eps do you follow to study a problem before making a decision.