Generating Alternatives

After weighing the merits of a variety of options, you are in a better position to make the best decision for the situation facing you.

To make an informed decision, you need choices—alternative courses of action you might take to resolve the issue at hand. Generating alternatives creates those choices. After weighing the merits of a variety of options, you are in a better position to make the best decision for the situation facing you. Here, it’s important to recognize that “go/no-go” choice does not mean you have generated multiple alternatives—go/no-go is only a single option.

Consider the following story:
Paul, a marketing manager at a consumer products company, calls a meeting with his team to discuss how to increase laundry detergent sales in Latin America. The meeting begins with silence as everyone waits for someone else to speak. Paul breaks the silence by suggesting they consider changing the current packaging. Following this cue, someone chimes in with supporting statistics about packaging of a product that has done well in Latin America. The meeting concludes with the assignment of a task force to research new packaging options.

This meeting seemed to proceed smoothly. But something’s wrong. Paul didn’t engage the team in generating alternatives. He didn’t promote healthy debate or constructive conflict. Instead, excessive group harmony resulted in an action step based on the first idea that emerged; investigate packing options. There was little creativity or innovative thinking. As a result, no new ideas surfaced. The group settled on the first alternative suggested, which had been Paul’s idea!

Paul could have helped his group generate a wider range of promising alternatives if he had applied certain practices, such as brainstorming, dialoguing, and promoting fair process.

ACTION POINT: Spark creativity by encouraging and seeking a wider range of alternatives when using a group to make a decision.