In principle, it is a shared vision that holds a group together, a common view of how people want things to be different in the future. If my opinion of how things should change doesn’t overlap with yours in at least a tiny way, we have no reason to work together.
It may be that we disagree on specific approaches—how much money to spend, who to hire, when to do what—but for a good group decision to result we must have a shared vision of the outcome, where we’re heading.
Practical Tip: Identify and write down what we agree that we hope to achieve. For an established group this might be a mission statement, or a vision statement, or a set of goals. For a one-time group (perhaps gathered at a public hearing, for instance), begin with a statement of why the group is gathered and make sure at the outset that everyone is there for the same purpose.
When we may be inclined to disagree, it helps to know we have the same vision.
A bad group experience has brought me back to these remarkable reminders of good personal interaction. I am of a much older generation and consider Craig’s tips as referencing good old-fashioned manners.
Thank you for the morale boost!
In this respect also highly to recommend is Peter Senge’s article about share vision building (see the fifth discipline) where he points out that the kind of process used for it varies for specific situations from telling, selling, asking, consulting to cocreation.