What are the best ways to build a team that supports strategic decision-making?

1 Define the purpose

The first step to building a team that supports strategic decision-making is to define the purpose of the team and the decision. What is the problem or opportunity that you are trying to address? What are the objectives and criteria that will guide your decision? What are the roles and responsibilities of each team member? By clarifying the purpose, you can align the team around a common vision, set clear expectations, and avoid confusion and conflict.

2 Choose the right people

The second step to building a team that supports strategic decision-making is to choose the right people for the team. You want to select team members who have relevant skills, knowledge, and experience, as well as diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and styles. You also want to consider the team size, composition, and dynamics. A team that is too large, too homogeneous, or too dysfunctional can hinder effective decision-making. Ideally, you want a team that is small enough to communicate and coordinate well, diverse enough to generate and evaluate different options, and cohesive enough to trust and respect each other.

3 Foster a culture of learning

The third step to building a team that supports strategic decision-making is to foster a culture of learning within the team. A culture of learning is one that encourages curiosity, creativity, and experimentation, as well as feedback, reflection, and improvement. A team that embraces learning can adapt to changing situations, overcome challenges, and discover new opportunities. To foster a culture of learning, you can encourage team members to ask questions, share ideas, test assumptions, seek feedback, learn from failures, and celebrate successes.

4 Use effective tools and methods

The fourth step to building a team that supports strategic decision-making is to use effective tools and methods to facilitate the decision-making process. Tools and methods are techniques that help the team to collect and analyze data, generate and compare alternatives, assess and mitigate risks, and make and implement decisions. Some examples of tools and methods are SWOT analysis, decision matrix, brainstorming, scenario planning, and action plan. By using tools and methods, you can ensure that the team follows a systematic and rational approach, avoids biases and errors, and documents and communicates the decision.

5 Manage conflicts and emotions

The fifth step to building a team that supports strategic decision-making is to manage conflicts and emotions that may arise during the decision-making process. Conflicts and emotions are inevitable in any team, especially when dealing with complex and uncertain situations. However, if not managed well, they can damage the team's morale, performance, and relationships. To manage conflicts and emotions, you can promote a positive and respectful climate, acknowledge and address the sources of tension, listen and empathize with different views, and seek win-win solutions.

6 Review and improve

The sixth and final step to building a team that supports strategic decision-making is to review and improve the team's decision-making process and outcomes. Reviewing and improving is the process of evaluating the effectiveness and efficiency of the team's decision-making, identifying the strengths and weaknesses, and implementing the lessons learned and best practices. By reviewing and improving, you can enhance the team's decision-making capabilities, increase the team's satisfaction and confidence, and ensure the team's continuous improvement and growth.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?