What do you do if your strategic decision making in facilitation is leading to unexpected consequences?

1 Assess Impact

When you notice that your strategic decisions are leading to unexpected consequences, the first step is to assess the impact. This involves understanding the nature and extent of the divergence from the expected outcomes. You need to gather information, review the results, and analyze the effects on your overall objectives. It's important to differentiate between short-term hiccups and long-term issues that could derail your strategy. By evaluating the impact carefully, you can determine the severity of the situation and plan your next steps accordingly.

2 Seek Feedback

Once you've assessed the impact of the unexpected consequences, it's time to seek feedback from stakeholders involved in the decision-making process. This includes team members, clients, or any other parties who may provide valuable insights into what might have gone wrong. Engage in open discussions to explore different perspectives and gather diverse opinions. This collaborative approach not only helps in pinpointing the causes of the unexpected outcomes but also fosters a sense of shared responsibility and collective problem-solving.

3 Revisit Strategy

With the insights gained from assessing the impact and seeking feedback, it's crucial to revisit your strategy. Look at the assumptions and conditions that were in place when the decisions were made. Are they still valid, or have there been changes in the environment that weren't anticipated? This is an opportunity to adjust your strategic approach by either tweaking the existing plan or developing a new one that takes into account the newly discovered variables. The agility to pivot and refine your strategy is key to successful facilitation.

5 Monitor Progress

Monitoring progress is an ongoing process that should be intensified when dealing with unexpected consequences. Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) that will help you track whether the changes you've implemented are moving you closer to your strategic goals. Regularly review these indicators and be prepared to make further adjustments if necessary. Continuous monitoring not only helps in keeping the strategy on track but also provides early warning signs if new issues begin to emerge.

6 Reflect and Learn

Finally, it's crucial to reflect on the experience and extract valuable lessons from it. Consider what can be learned from the unexpected consequences and how this knowledge can improve future decision-making. Reflecting on both successes and setbacks builds your capacity as a facilitator to handle complex situations. It also contributes to developing a learning culture within your team or organization, where each challenge is seen as an opportunity for growth and improvement.

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?