Getting to Consensus with the FMEA Team

“A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus.”
Martin Luther King

One of the challenges for any team leader is bringing the team together and agreeing on decisions and actions going forward.

Consensus building is the best practice for all of the FMEA team decisions. This means the FMEA team takes the time to understand all sides of an issue and finds a solution or determines a course of action that is supported by all team members. Facilitating is a consensual activity.

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Mediocrity can talk, but it is for genius to observe. – Benjamin Disraeli

The Inside FMEA series has completed the primary facilitation skills. The next few articles will cover special facilitation topics.

This article talks about the pros and cons of using a “scribe” to help with facilitation. [Read more…]

“Interdependent people combine their own efforts with the efforts of others to achieve their greatest success.” Stephen Covey

If you’ve been reading the FMEA facilitation series, by now you understand the primary facilitation skills. Studying and applying these skills will help you achieve excellent results in FMEA applications. [Read more…]

“Honest disagreement is often a good sign of progress” – Gandhi

The Oxford English Dictionary defines “conflict” as, “an incompatibility between two or more opinions, principles, or interests.”

What is the value of conflict in an FMEA?

Conflicts are bound to arise from time to time. They can be positive and beneficial. An absence of any expressions of disagreement or conflict may indicate a problem in adequacy or quality of facilitation. Facilitators should not be afraid of conflict, but should learn the value of disagreements and how to manage them. Understanding the difference between healthy debates and dysfunctional arguments is critical to good facilitation. [Read more…]

FMEA facilitators can generate deep discussion and stimulate creative ideas by asking probing questions.

“A good question is never answered. It is not a bolt to be tightened into place but a seed to be planted and to bear more seed toward the hope of greening the landscape of idea.” – John Ciardi

The Oxford English dictionary defines “probe” as “seek to uncover information about something.” [Read more…]