TIPS FOR HELPING GROUPS REACH CLOSURE
❑ Signs that closure may be needed include: People repeat themselves; the topic is
switched away from the concern at hand; group members seem to be tuning out.
❑ Float trial balloons. If you think an issue has been discussed enough, ask, “It seems from
the discussion that ______ is the way to go. Do you agree?”
❑ When you hear consensus being reached in the group, make it visible on a whiteboard,
overhead projector, or flip chart. Ask whether your visible notes represent the consen-
sus. Sometimes wordsmithing is all that’s needed.
❑ A somewhat risky but effective method is to ask a group member to summarize the
closing statement. You might say: “We seem to be ready for closure. Would someone sum-
marize the decision? I’ll write it on the white board.”
❑ If closure is expected to be difficult, first lead a discussion about the criteria for closure.
❑ Note the importance of closure in the group’s ground rules.HOW TO USE THIS LEADERSHIP TOOL
“A great deal of a manager’s work has to do with allocating resources: manpower, money,
and capital. But the single most important resource we allocate ... is our own time.”
—Andy Grove, ONLY THE PARANOID SURVIVEEvidence that meetings are in need of this tool:
✗ Your meetings are getting longer and longer.
✗ The group gets 90 percent of the way to a decision, then the discussion drifts back to
background information.
✗ The unwritten question, “Have we got consensus?” has gradually become, “Have we
got unanimity?”
✗ Any concern or risk associated with the decision seems to prevent closure.WEB WORKSHEET
Use this closure matrix to improve an upcoming meeting. Clarify what methods of closure you
and your group will use, and when they will be used.
SECTION 10 TOOLS FORLEADINGTEAMS ANDGROUPS 327
How the group might reach closure (√one):
__ Unanimity
__ Consensus
__ Voting
__ Consultation
__ DirectiveA decision that will need
to be made at this meeting Possible closure question(s)