Encyclopedia of Leadership

HOW TO USE THIS LEADERSHIP TOOL

“Priority is a function of context, or the ‘bigger picture’ in which something occurs. ... It’s

big-picture renewal that puts us in touch with the purposes and patterns of life.”

—Stephen Covey, FIRST THINGS FIRST

Priority setting focuses the workgroup’s energy and commitment on the critical few, high-

impact items. A counterpoint to brainstorming, it is the most common form of evaluative

thinking. While brainstorming increases the number of options under consideration and rais-

es the level of ambiguity, priority setting guides workgroups toward closure and decision mak-

ing, and lowers the level of ambiguity.

330 SECTION 10 TOOLS FORLEADINGTEAMS ANDGROUPS

• The situation requires a techni-
  cally correct answer.


• Workgroup or team members
  will commit to a logically correct
  answer.


• Getting agreement on priorities
  may be difficult, because:
  
  
  • There is a high potential for
    disagreement and conflict
    around priorities.
  
  
  • Vested interests exist within
    the workgroup or team.
  
  
  
  

[☛12.7 Dealing with Conflict]

Logical

Method

Criteria

Method

1. Discuss various methods for assembling data logically; for exam-
   ple, consider these tools:
   ☛7.2 Problem Solving
   ☛7.5 Decision Making
   ☛7.7 Quality Tools


2. Select and apply the method most appropriate to your situation.

When the potential for conflict is high, it’s important to explain the

process and clearly state whyit is being used.

1. Ask the workgroup to step back from the list of items for a
   moment.


2. Ask members to spend time discussing the criteria or principles
   they will use to set priorities. For example:
   
   
   • priorities as your customers would see them, or
   
   
   • priorities based on some higher-level principles, or
   
   
   • considerations such as corporate strategy.
   
   
   
   


3. Generate an agreed-to set of criteria that will be used to help the
   workgroup or team determine priorities.


4. Set priorities based on the agreed criteria.

Method Best used when How to

Developmental

• Used to generate and
  surface many ideas.

Evaluative

• Used to narrow in on
  the best plan of action.

Developmental

• Brainstorming


• Lateral thinking

Evaluative

• Priority setting


• Decision making

Developmental

• No evaluation, clarification only.


• Build on others’ ideas.


• Creative thinking is encouraged.


• Quantity is more important than quality.

Evaluative

• Challenging and questioning are okay.


• Debate is okay.


• Closure is sought on the best ideas or
  actions.

Type of Thinking Techniques Ground Rules