OTHER VOICES: Ways to improve inter-generational decision making

By Jill Johnson, Special to Tire Business

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — Making decisions is always difficult, and can be hard enough when they need to be agreed upon by a group of like-minded peers.

But the hardest type of decisions to make are those in which there are multiple generations involved in the process. So what do you do? Bringing out the best in the generations impacting your decisions requires four critical approaches to ensure their decision-making involvement stays on track and is focused on moving to a decision outcome that matters.

Just showing up for decision making is not enough in today's fast-paced business environment. Careful consideration of the available decision options is important. Frequently, the assumption is made that everyone at the table has enough insight and information to participate effectively in the process. All too often they don't.

Make sure your inter-generational team has enough information so it can adequately evaluate your options. Established professionals can get grounded into a black or white point of view that makes them hold fast to historical assessments of potential options. Younger participants can have a limited viewpoint about possible options and consequences — not because they are incapable of complex thought, but because they often don't have enough experience to engage in a more nuanced deliberation.

Prepare everyone by providing advance reading material critical to issues you are going to address. Write a summary of critical elements of the issue and why a decision needs to be made, and give a comprehensive presentation at the first decision making meeting.

Provide the team with clarity about how the decision relates to your organizational business strategies and why it is important. Don't assume they understand this; consider it an educational opportunity.

Keeping an inter-generation group focused is a challenge, as they may careen from issue to issue unless things are presented clearly for them. Establish a framework of what must be considered, the boundaries for how far they can go with the decision options and set limits. If there are budget or staffing limitations, say so.

If the team serves in an advisory capacity, make sure members know who will make the final decision, and put this in writing to avoid misunderstandings or confusion.

It is easy to defer to a group of enthusiastic young professionals, but unless you stay on top of them, they can go way beyond the appropriate parameters. This can result in very treacherous consequences — both in them going too far and in you dampening their enthusiasm for participating again. Maintain many interim check points and keep re-directing the discussion as needed. Be aware that younger team members often defer to older, more seasoned and experienced professionals, so reinforce that you need the insight of all generations — as long as it is effectively channeled.

Don't abandon your team to work without your involvement. While you don't have to be there for every workgroup conversation, you still need to manage the discussion.

If you effectively manage your inter-generational decision-making efforts, you will create a team dynamic that is powerfully focused on resolving issues...