How Do You Get Your Team Focused?

by James Canada

When is the last time you struggled with getting your team focused and headed in the same direction?

In my corporate experience, I learned the technique “multivoting,” which I continue to use today. It’s an easy method for reducing a large list of items to a manageable size. It limits group discussion and minimizes conflict.

Multivoting is most effective when you have a list that needs to be simplified or streamlined in order to move ahead. Some examples are selecting processes for improvement, identifying data collection areas or just narrowing a bunch of ideas.

The goal is to reduce the list to a manageable size — no fewer than four and no more than seven items. Be sure to allow discussion and negotiation between the multiple rounds of voting but not during the voting.

Here’s how multivoting works:
1. As your group generates a list, number it for easy reference and display it in full view.
2. Each person gets one vote for any single item on the list. Ask for a show of hands, or if secrecy is needed, use paper ballots. Record the total votes next to each item.
3. Reduce the list by removing up to half the items with the fewest votes.
4. During the next round of voting, each participant gets multiple votes. The number of votes is equal to half the number of items. For example, if there are 10 items, each person gets five votes.
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 until four to seven items remain.

With everyone participating, multivoting facilitates group agreement and buy-in and reduces personal ownership. When multiple people share an interest, they are more likely to support the idea and keep it alive.

James H. Canada is managing partner/CEO for Alliance Technologies LLC, ITEN mentor and author of “Corporate to Entrepreneur: Strategies for Success.” Contact Jim at james.canada@alliancetechnologiesllc.com, 636-734-2337 or www.alliancetechnologiesllc.com.