Would you rather” is a game you can play anywhere, anytime, to have a laugh and get to understand each other. Participants take it in turns asking each other a question comparing two equally undesirable options, starting by saying “Would you rather…” For example: “Would you rather….eat steamed broccoli for dinner, or go for a 30 minute jog”. Everyone in the group can give their answer and the next person takes their turn to create and ask a ‘who you rather’ question.
Decision making can be tricky for any group and every approach has trade-offs.
Would you rather….
- Have a single leader in charge of all decision making, who does so quickly, based on their own perspective, or a committee who work slower but consider all voices in the group?
- Take the opportunity to have your say with every decision that occurs in your community, or only be asked to provide your thoughts on major items?
- Have a decision making group that anyone can be on, regardless of skill, experience or commitment, or have an application that requires people to demonstrate their skills and commit for at least one year?
- Take forever to hear all opinions, but make a decision everyone is happy with, or make a decision within the required timeframe and risk some people not being heard?
- Keep some high stakes or risky decisions confidential until they are decided or ensure all information relating to decision making is 100% transparent and available to any community member for comments or questions.
- Have to ask permission to trial new projects from a committee of several people, with formal written documentation, or tap one of your leadership team on the shoulder at morning tea, ask their permission and in one conversation get the go ahead to try it?
- Have a decision making committee that regularly argues, has tense conversations and pours over every detail of each decision with a high level of criticism, or have relaxed, laissez faire style committee who are optimistic, only sometimes check out the detail and mostly trust everyone to do the right thing?