UW-L Methods Of Decision Making Decisions can be made in any of several ways. The president writes a description of the club for inclusion in the student handbook. The treasurer chooses the bank in which to open a checking account. Cons Fails to develop a commitment to implement the decision Does not resolve conflicts among group members Members may say what they think the designated leader wants to hear Decision By Minority Fundraising committee send letters to alumni soliciting donations. Pros Can be used when everyone cannot meet to make a decision Helpful when only a few members have relevant resources Useful when broad member commitment is not needed to implement the decision Cons Does not utilize the resources of many group members Does not establish wide spread commitment to implement the decision Full benefit of group interaction is not obtained Decision By Majority Vote Organization holds an election for new officers.
Cons Takes lots of time, psychological energy and high-level member skills.
Consensus Decisions Consensus means that everyone agrees what the decision should be, which is ideal in making important or serious decisions. Unanimity, however, is often impossible to achieve. There are degrees of consensus, all of which bring about a higher-quality decision than majority vote or other methods of decision making. Present your position as clearly as possible, but listen to other member's reactions and consider them before you press your point. Avoid changing your mind only to reach agreement and avoid conflict.