When a board makes a decision, the objective is to make sure that the decision supports the organization’s long-term goals and is based on evidence. This includes obtaining data from multiple sources, including surveys of employees, industry reports and competitor analysis, to support the decision. It is also crucial to weigh different alternatives and decide which is most likely achieve the desired result.

To make this happen, Board members should consider the ways in which a proposed course additional reading decision is in line with the mission and vision of the business, while considering any legal or regulatory requirements that may be required. Additionally, Board members should be aware of the potential risks that may arise from the decision and ensure the board’s risk appetite is considered in the process.

It is also beneficial for boards to utilize methods that can help avoid groupthink, like brainstorming, Six Thinking Hats, Disney Planning Method and Delphi Technique. It can be helpful to assign informal roles to certain Board members, like “devil’s advocate” and “devil’s advocate” to challenge other members’ ideas and help generate a variety of solutions.

Boards can also develop guidelines on what and when they would like to be informed of decisions which are slated for vote. This lets them take the time they need to review and discuss the information prior voting, and it allows them to ask questions and consider other options. This approach also helps reduce the amount of fatigue that boards experience. I’ve witnessed instances where boards were provided with urgent information just before they were expected to vote, which can delay and disrupt the decision-making process.

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