Diverse perspectives: A letter to CEOs 

Be purposeful and varied when asking teammates to contribute their expertise

Not everyone will be the right fit, or have a relevant perspective, for every project. So, take the time you need to really consider whose contribution would add the most value to a project before selecting your panel of trusted advisors.

Keep in mind, you don’t need 15 people on every project. Find a core group that you know will bring diverse viewpoints to the table and go from there. Then, make sure to switch it up so that you are intentional in aligning the people to the project. Sometimes, you’ll keep the conversation at the C-suite level, but in other instances, having a sampling of team members from across your organization could be a better fit. 

Find the balance between organizational velocity and strong decision making

Maintaining velocity is important at every organization, which is why it’s not uncommon for CEOs to make decisions on their own.

But let’s put that in perspective.

I want you to think of a situation that would be so dire to your organization you couldn’t slow down, even for a moment, to consult with others on your team. This situation is so bad that there’s no way for you to spare any additional time to consider opinions other than your own. When I challenge myself to think of this same scenario, my first thought is a trademark or compliance issue, but even then, I’d want the input from my operations, HR, and legal teams. Even critical decisions for dire situations need multiple viewpoints; arguably, they may need them more.

Bringing in more people isn’t meant to slow or stop the decision-making process, so be intentional about how much time you devote to fleshing out any given action plan. Yes, there is an upfront time commitment involved, but making a well- thought-out decision the first time around may actually save you time in the long run as the project comes to life. 

Mindfully handle the final decision

Once you’ve heard the perspectives of your team, the final decision will ultimately still fall to you. And as any CEO knows, you can’t make everyone happy all the time. You might not be able to accommodate every suggestion or recommendation you’ve heard throughout the collaboration process, but you will still need to find a way to explain your final decision so all the people who contributed their perspectives feel heard and appreciated.

For the people whose ideas you did not choose, you need to be intentional in the way you say no. If you aren't, your team could end up feeling undervalued, which could make them withdraw, or worse, not participate in the future.

It's just as important for the team members whose idea you did select to see how you handle this moment. In the future, it could be their idea that doesn’t move forward, so if they see this as a positive experience for everyone involved, they’ll retain trust in you the next time you ask for their input, rather than disengaging.

Bottom line, it’s important that everyone walks away feeling whole, valued, and connected to the project. Ideally, they understand why you made the decision you did, and they’ve bought in to the ultimate plan, even if their suggestion or perspective didn’t make the final iteration.