3 tips for knowing when to 'debate, decide, deliver'

Imagine you are leading a team. The ‘debate, decide, deliver’ model is a good one for involving your people in owning parts of the strategy. Let’s look at how this works in practice. Start by giving people clear guidelines about the freedom they have to operate with the 3 D’s.

Debate: describe the topics that are not up for debate – because these have already been decided - and those that are.

Decide: describe the parameters within which people can then make decisions.

Deliver: describe the deadlines by which people will be expected to deliver.

Great teams know which part of the model they are operating in. They know whether they are debating, deciding or delivering. Poor teams get the three parts mixed up. Bearing these principles in mind, let’s consider how you can guide your team through the three steps.

* Debate.

Describe again the areas that people can and can’t debate. You may say, for example:

“The big ‘What’ - the result we must deliver - is not open to debate. The key strategies - the ‘How’ - have also been handed-down. What we can discuss, however, are the tactics within each of these strategies. Here are the topics that we can debate as a team.

a)

b)

c)

“Are there any other topics to add that perhaps fall under our remit to discuss? Let’s add those to the list. Right, let’s explore the first topic.”

Embark on the debate process. Clarity is crucial. Looking at the first topic, start by defining the results to deliver. Move onto the choices and consequences. Brainstorm all the possible options - together with the pluses and minuses of each option. Discuss the options, then move onto finding possible creative solutions. Eventually you will find the group start moving towards their conclusions.

Good facilitation will be required. Get the right balance between ‘opening up’ - clarifying the result to achieve and exploring ideas - then ‘closing down’. Create an atmosphere in which people share their ideas. Business meetings sometimes close down the discussion too early. On the other hand, some teams open-up subject after subject and never make any decisions. Get the right balance when discussing the first topic. Then, when appropriate, move onto the next stage.

* Decide.

Time to make a decision. You may say something like: “Looking at the first topic, let’s return to results to deliver. Now is the time to decide on which option - or options - we want to pursue. After making the decision, we must then decide who will do what by when. Okay, looking at the first topic, let’s decide on the route forward.”

Clarify the action plan for the first topic. Continue the session by repeating the ‘Debate’ and ‘Decide’ steps for other items on the agenda. Conclude the session by summarising what has been agreed. Encourage people to ‘play back’ what they understand to be the action plans for delivering the team’s goals. Then move onto the next stage.

* Deliver.

People must then work hard to deliver. Provide the support they need to do the job. Super teams are made up of people who are positive, professional and peak performers. But sometimes they get thrown off-course. If people become paralysed in long discussions, investigate the reasons. If appropriate, return to the ‘debate, decide and deliver’ model. Check that the ‘debate’ and ‘decide’ parts have been agreed. If so - and if the decision still fits - then ensure they deliver. If not, then ensure people make a decision and deliver. (Sometimes, of course, it can be a case of ‘just do it’.)

Super teams have crystal clear goals. People know what mountain they are climbing, why they are climbing it and when they will reach the summit. Within this framework, people work best when they can ‘own’ their part of the strategy. Providing it is used properly, the 3 D model is a good tool for making this happen. People then develop the habit of knowing when to debate, decide and deliver.

You can find more tools for building super teams - including The Super Teams Pack free download - at:

http://www.thestrengthsway.com