5 Steps to Making Inclusive Decisions
April 4, 2024 | By David M. Wagner
Creating opportunities for input is only half the battle.
In The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, the residents of Earth are given the opportunity to provide input on plans for a new hyperspatial express route. In fact, the plans were on display for 50 years!
And yet, no one on Earth was aware of these plans. No one provided input, such as objecting to the planned demolition of our planet.
And so, Earth was unceremoniously blown to bits.
Intentional Inclusivity
The disability rights movement in the United States embodies a more inclusive approach to decision making.
Their oft-quoted mantra: Nothing About Us Without Us.
Making stakeholder-centric decisions requires more than simply providing a mechanism for input from affected stakeholders. It demands we intentionally include stakeholders in the process.
Making an effort to solicit and embrace feedback is key to mitigating emotional blowback to touch choices, encouraging healthy conflicts of ideas, and ultimately fostering stakeholder commitment to plans.
The 5 Steps
1. Clarify the decision-making process.
Most nonprofit organizations do not operate under the rules of democracy. Make clear who will ultimately decide, and who will be asked to provide input or advice.
2. Set transparent timelines.
Creating deadlines – for collecting input and for making a decision – helps set expectations and foster accountability. Without them, there’s a risk of using “listening” as an excuse for avoiding tough choices.
3. Build and disseminate input mechanisms.
Explore multiple options and pick the best for the affected community: surveys, interviews, focus groups, public comment tools, etc. Ensuring representation is key. If you want someone to speak for a group, ensure that they are (1) willing, (2) trusted, and (3) empowered to gather and represent the positions of others.
4. Collaboratively define decision factors.
A great way to ensure stakeholder concerns are reflected in decisions is to make those concerns explicit factors in choosing among options. Bringing stakeholders in at this step can also sensitize them to potentially conflicting factors – the needs of other groups, the organization, or the larger mission – that are no less important.
5. Share decisions and ask for commitment.
As openly as practical, communicate the results of the decision-making process: what choices were made and why. Acknowledge any negative consequences of those choices and what you will do to mitigate or provide recompense for those impacts. Ideally, foster commitment to the path forward by giving stakeholders an action they can take to contribute to or support what’s next.
Realize you overlooked someone in a key decision? Don’t panic. While you’ll get the best results from including affected stakeholders from the beginning, any intentional effort to give a voice to the people attached to your mission will go a long way.
I help nonprofits and their leaders create meaningful buy-in to their strategic plans, program designs, and every-day decisions. Set a free consult to discuss how I can help convert your stakeholders into advocates for your mission.