Teams Use The 3D Framework To Make Better Decisions
There’s an art to making decisions as a team.
Or, at least, there’s a tremendous amount of skill involved.
It sounds easy enough. You’ve got a problem, you talk it through, you reach a conclusion.
But you, me—we have ALL been part of enough conversations to know that the neat, tidy outcome I outlined isn’t inevitable.
I have seen teams languish for months, revisiting the same challenges over and over (and over).
It wastes time.
It slows growth.
It’s frustrating as hell.
I want you to save time, grow faster, and be happy while doing it.
So I’m going to share a process for making decisions with your team.
It’s even got a snappy name: the 3D Framework.
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Step 1: Determine
To make a decision, to solve a problem, you have to first Determine what the core issue is. The initial challenge that surfaces may in fact be a symptom and not the root cause of your problem.
(Hint: use Front Domino Thinking to Determine the root cause if needed)
Once you Determine the core problem as a group, document it in writing (a bonus D!). That way you can ensure everyone is on the same page and that you’re all working to solve the same problem.
Step 2: Debate
Now things get fun. During the next phase, the team Debates different aspects of the problem and presents potential solutions or next steps. I say solutions or next steps because you can’t always solve your problems during an initial conversation. You may need follow-up discussions, or more research, or time, to actually solve the problem.
Follow all best practices for healthy conversations here. Those include things like having open and honest dialogue, not politicking for your preferred solution, being non-judgmental of others’ opinions, etc.
The Debate portion of the process will, with a well-disciplined team, come to a natural conclusion. If not, the meeting facilitator or another individual should, at a certain point, bring the Debate to a close and help the team move on to the final step.
Step 3: Decide
When you Decide as a team, you commit together to a single course of action. The differences of opinion are now behind you. Once you’ve Decided, you’re all on the same side—do not let the Debate inadvertently continue past this step.
The Decide step also creates accountability. This isn’t a venting session: you’re here to DO something about your problem. Again, documenting your final decision can be useful to confirm shared understanding of how you’ll proceed.
You can Decide just about anything—from solving the problem in the moment to revisiting it in 6 months. It’s the decision, and the actions that flow from it, that actually matter most.
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Let’s recap the 3D Framework:
- Determine the real problem
- Debate the best solution
- Decide on a course of action
That little process right there might be the definition of great teamwork.
Implement it with your team and watch the magic happen.
P.S. If you need help facilitating better conversations with your team, our team is here to support you. Connect with us to learn how.
