CF Collaborative Decision Making 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In the Gradients of Agreement scale, a score of 'Stand Aside' means:
- The participant fully supports the decision
- The participant will not obstruct the decision but wants their reservation recorded (Correct answer)
- The participant vetoes the decision
- The participant is absent from the vote
Correct answer: The participant will not obstruct the decision but wants their reservation recorded
'Stand Aside' signals personal disagreement without blocking the group, allowing the decision to proceed with the reservation noted.
Question 2: A facilitator notices the group is about to choose an option without considering potential downsides. Which tool is most appropriate?
- Force field analysis to surface driving and restraining forces (Correct answer)
- Affinity mapping to group similar ideas
- Gallery walk to display options visually
- Round-robin brainstorming to add more ideas
Correct answer: Force field analysis to surface driving and restraining forces
Force field analysis explicitly surfaces both the forces supporting and opposing a decision, ensuring balanced evaluation.
Question 3: What distinguishes 'consent' from 'consensus' in collaborative decision making?
- Consent requires unanimous enthusiasm; consensus only requires a majority
- Consent means no one has a paramount objection; consensus means everyone actively agrees (Correct answer)
- They are interchangeable terms in facilitation
- Consent is used for minor decisions; consensus for major ones
Correct answer: Consent means no one has a paramount objection; consensus means everyone actively agrees
Consent-based decisions proceed when no one has a principled objection, while consensus seeks genuine agreement from all parties.
Question 4: A facilitator is working with a cross-functional team where members have unequal positional power. What is the best practice for decision making?
- Allow the highest-ranking person to make the final call after discussion
- Use anonymous polling or written input methods to reduce hierarchy effects (Correct answer)
- Exclude senior leaders from the decision-making session
- Have each department head vote separately
Correct answer: Use anonymous polling or written input methods to reduce hierarchy effects
Anonymous methods neutralize positional power, ensuring all voices contribute equally regardless of organizational rank.
Question 5: When should a facilitator use 'dot voting' (sticker voting)?
- To finalize a binding contractual agreement
- To quickly narrow a large list of options to the most preferred by the group (Correct answer)
- To replace consensus when time is unlimited
- To assign tasks after a decision has been made
Correct answer: To quickly narrow a large list of options to the most preferred by the group
Dot voting efficiently surfaces group preferences among many options, serving as a convergence tool rather than a final binding decision.
Question 6: Which facilitation behavior most undermines collaborative decision making?
- Restating proposals in neutral language
- Inserting personal opinions to steer the group toward a preferred outcome (Correct answer)
- Checking in with quieter participants
- Summarizing areas of agreement before moving to differences
Correct answer: Inserting personal opinions to steer the group toward a preferred outcome
A facilitator who advocates for a specific outcome compromises their neutrality and the integrity of the group's collaborative process.
Question 7: A group has made a decision but some members seem uncommitted. What should the facilitator do before closing the session?
- Assume silent members agree and move on
- Conduct a closing round asking each person to state one action they commit to (Correct answer)
- Repeat the decision-making process from the start
- Ask the sponsor to mandate compliance
Correct answer: Conduct a closing round asking each person to state one action they commit to
A commitment round surfaces individual accountability and converts abstract group agreement into personal ownership.
CF Collaborative Decision Making 3
In the Gradients of Agreement scale, a score of 'Stand Aside' means: