Some of the decision-making methods include consensus, majority control, expert opinion, minority control, and authority rule (Adler & Rodman, 2006).
- Consensus is achieved when all members of the group agree on a particular decision. Reaching a consensus takes time; however, it also promotes group cohesiveness and commitment to the decision.
- Majority Control occurs when the group favors the decision chosen by the majority of its members. This method often discourages participation from the minority.
- Expert Opinion is a method that relies on the judgment of a single person considered to be superior or knowledgeable about the issue.
- Minority Control occurs when the problem is not that important and decisions can be made without the help of the rest of the group. Minority control should only be used when dealing with insignificant issues that would only consume the time of the group members.
- Authority Rule is used by authoritarian leaders when a decision has to be made immediately without the other members’ approval.