The group is an advantage in decision-making. Collective decisions would be better than individual decisions, in particular because they are based on a plurality of skills and experiences. However, for a collective decision to be of good quality, certain conditions are necessary:
1 Diversity of opinions: Each member is likely to have information that the others do not. Make sure everyone can express his/her opinion.
2 Independence: The opinion of group members should not depend on that of others. Encourage everyone to speak up before the decision-maker (or the most senior member of the group).
3 Summary: Based on the individual opinions expressed, a mechanism must be put in place to express a collective opinion in order to lead to a decision that all can refer to and support.
Make sure that these conditions are met so that your decisions are truly collective and have a lasting impact on your activities or those of your company.
Source : SUROWIECKI James, The Wisdom of Crowds, New York, Doubleday
