Facilitation Techniques, Change Management, Emotional Inteligence, Leadership Skills

Prioritising and Getting to a decision

The majority of people are used to thinking convergently where they are using logic, reasoning and their powers of deduction to arrive at a suitable answer, solution or course of action. The following is a list of the convergent thinking techniques together with the situations in which they work best.

The Four Box Model and the Matrix are ways of presenting data, which may be causing conflict. The Four Box model collects data in two dimensions whilst the Matrix collates it across three or more dimensions. These can be used to ‘sort’ data and begin to prioritise and ‘score’ the information.

Relative Importance Grid is a useful tool for identifying priorities or selecting the key issues/aspects or options. Dots is similar but more visual. Essential and Desirable helps to establish the critical factors from the ‘nice to haves’.

No	Techniques	Situations	Key Words
15	Four Box Model	Two independent factors, each with extremes (e.g. “…It’s more about cost” …”No to me it’s about the benefit”). If you detect two different dimensions then listen for the ‘pole’ at either end of the dimension (e.g. low – high; minimum – maximum). Disagreement, over two different perspectives. Heightened anxiety Raised voices as each seeks to influence the other to their point of view	On the other hand Conversely However, what about…?	Add to Basket
16	Matrix Charting	Anytime, when there are multiple factors being considered as part of a whole. You will hear people arguing and see people speaking at cross-purposes. If you detect three or moredifferent dimensions, then listen for the ‘measure’ for each dimension (e.g. numbers/rating/%/words etc) – see the technique in Appendix 1. “I don’t agree with you I think the first one is far better than the third and will give us more flexibility”	Cost Benefit Value Time Profit Any words which suggest different point of view	Add to Basket
17	Relative Importance – RIG (see also Going Dotty!)	The group needs to decide on the importance of each of a number of both related and unrelated items. There are a number of issues, each of which has a particular value or importance to different members of the group. It is difficult for the group to reach a consensus on which one of the options is most important. Whenever the group is faced with deciding, priorities, an order of importance, order of action, who is keen on certain factors, stopping or starting action. “I think we need to agree which ones are crucial” “I don’t see that one as important as that one” “Can we make a decision about the priority please?”	Importance Key Significant Crucial Least Differentiating between different opinions Relatively More important than	Add to Basket
18	Going Dotty! (see also Relative Importance Grid) Used when differentiation between issues or people is needed	Whenever the group is faced with deciding: priorities; an order of importance; order of action; who is keen on certain factors and stopping or starting action. Differentiating between different opinions “I think we need to agree which ones are crucial” “I don’t see that one as important as you”	Importance Key Significant Crucial Least Relatively More important than	Add to Basket
19	Essential and Desirable	The group needs to be able to decide on the suitability of potential solutions and scenarios using an agreed set of essential and desirable criteria. The group needs to make a choice using an agreed set of essential and desirable criteria. “But we know that there are some key aspects and the others are almost irrelevant” “Can’t we just agree what are the essential actions	More than Less than	Add to Basket

Situations

Key Words