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Chapter 22: E. Resources 329
Consensus
Although it is sometimes necessary to put things to a team vote, it is usually advisable
to reach agreement by continued discussion. Although this method, referred
to as consensus-building, takes more time than voting, it reduces the tendency
for some team members to feel like losers. Reaching a consensus often means that
people have to “give a little” in order for the team to make progress.
Brainstorming
In the early stages of problem solving it is useful to get a large number of ideas.
Brainstorming is a technique that does this by asking each person to first express
just one idea. This idea is written so all can see it, and the next person expresses
one thought. After all team members have had a turn, each is asked for a second
idea, and so on. One of the rules of a brainstorming session is that no idea is to
be criticized or judged. Often members will “piggyback” on a previous idea and
come up with a new or modified thought. The theory of brainstorming is that if
all ideas are documented, it is likely that the best idea or solution is on the list
somewhere. The next step is to compress the list somehow. It may be possible to
combine two or more ideas into one. Sometimes the ideas can be grouped into categories
such as machining problems, supplier problems, painting problems, and
so on. The team may elect to prioritize the items on the list, agreeing to study the
highest priority items first. Individuals may be assigned the task of pursuing individual
ideas further and reporting to the next team meeting.
Meeting Management
The hours spent in team meetings are a very valuable resource. Well managed
meetings help get the most out of the time spent together. Barriers to effective use
of meeting time include:
• Lack of a clear agenda
• Tendency to digress from the subject
• Feeling on the part of team members that the meeting is a waste of
time or has a lower priority than other responsibilities
• Strong disagreement among team members
• Tendency for some members to dominate the discussion and others to
withdraw from participation
It is the responsibility of the team leader to minimize these and other barriers that
may impede the team. Techniques that have proven useful include:
• Publication of an agenda in advance of the meeting. Begin the meeting
by reviewing the agenda.
• Call the team back to the agenda when they stray too far or for
too long.
Part IV.E.4