Strategic Fund Development: Building Profitable Relationships That Last, Third Edition

Participatory Decision-Making

This is the sixth component of the organization’s internal relationship. Decision-making means choosing. And choosing really means picking between the anticipated consequences of each choice. An individual or a group selects one among several possibilities.

Effective organizations choose well. Their decision-making combines the five components of the organization’s internal relationships: shared values, leadership, commitment to process, learning organization, and ongoing conversation.

When appropriate (and this should be more frequently), effective organizations involve multiple people in the decision-making process. These organizations know that certain decisions require group decision-making. For example, corporate governance is a collective act, done by the group called the board. In fact, no single individual within the board—including the board chair—has any more authority than any other. So any governance decision is a group decision. For more information about corporate governance and the concept of the collective, visit www.simonejoyaux.com. Click on Resources and visit the Free Download Library.

Effective organizations also recognize the distinct advantages of participatory decision-making, even when not required. These organizations know that group decision-making brings together diverse opinions, experiences, and expertise. Together, the result can be greater than the sum of the individual parts. These organizations recognize that participatory ...