Best Group Decision Making

Goals

1. Describe group decision-making.
2. Explain how groups make decisions.
3. Describe the best way to make decisions in a group.

Group and Group Decision-Making (What)

Groups

A group is a collection of individuals who interact and work together toward a shared goal or purpose.

Examples: families, couples, sports teams, universities, governments, companies, committees, friend groups.

Decisions

A decision is a choice among alternatives, often involving selecting an action, a value, a belief, or a priority.

Group Decisions

A group decision is when a group, as a collective, makes a choice that affects its direction, behavior, or identity.
This process involves discussion, negotiation, and influence among members.

Rationale

Understanding how groups make decisions equips you to:

• Guide your group toward more effective outcomes.
• Improve cooperation, trust, and shared responsibility.
• Reduce conflict and misunderstandings.
• Ensure that choices reflect group goals and values.
• Avoid manipulation or poor-quality decisions.

Best Decision-Making for a Group

Principles

1. Apply Critical Thinking (CT) at every stage — asking the key question, getting information by sound research, evaluating this information, selecting and applying the best logic structure, and so on.
2. There is no single “best” method. The best approach depends on the group’s size, urgency, values, and goals.

Framework (How To)

1. Select CT as the foundation: Ask clear questions, gather good information, and use sound reasoning.
2. Choose a method from the list below that best fits your context (urgency, stakes, need for buy-in, etc.).
3. Apply the method with fairness and transparency.
4. Reflect on the results and improve the process over time.

Methods Used by Groups

Autocratic

• What: One person makes the decision, usually a leader.
• When to use: Urgent situations, clear chain of command.
• Pros: Fast, efficient.
• Cons: Low buy-in, potential resentment, more mistakes because multiple skilled people working together is better than one person.

Consultative

• What: Leader decides after consulting group members.
• When to use: Leader wants input but retains control.
• Pros: Balances speed and input.
• Cons: May still feel top-down.

Democratic (Majority Vote)

• What: Everyone votes; majority wins.
• When to use: Medium to large groups, clear options.
• Pros: Inclusive, quick.
• Cons: Minority voices may be ignored.

Consensus

• What: Group works toward a solution all can accept.
• When to use: High-stakes decisions, need for unity.
• Pros: Strong buy-in, collaboration.
• Cons: Time-consuming, risk of deadlock.

Unanimous

• What: Everyone must fully agree.
• When to use: Small, tight-knit groups with trust.
• Pros: Total agreement.
• Cons: Rare in large or diverse groups.

Delegated

• What: Group assigns decision to an individual or sub-group.
• When to use: Specialized knowledge needed, efficiency.
• Pros: Uses expertise, saves time.
• Cons: Risk of disconnect or poor accountability.

Summary

• A group decision is a shared choice that affects the whole group.
• Groups can use various methods to make decisions — each with strengths and trade-offs.
• The best method depends on context, but critical thinking improves all decision-making.