First … question people don’t tell them … and include employees in the solution. That’s how to start a meeting if you want consensus which they are still conscious. Many leaders lecture about the fact that things are going poorly and then go on to bore employees with tales of how they’ll have to downsize. Can you see why things go from bad to worse in that firm?
Problem solving activity in the brain results from electrical impulses generated by nerve cells or neurons which are fired to process and store new information. The key is to ask people a genuine question that helps them to become part of the solution.
Ask, for instance: “How do you see your department turning 10 percent more profit this month?” Then add… “and what would motivate you to help make that happen?”
Second… target a solution to get faster consensus. It works because impulses pass along the nerve fibers within people’s brain, when they see a clear target to shoot for. Make it attainable because of how you word it and you’ll get quality responses.
You might say… “After listening to your good ideas let’s say we: 
conduct a contest to see what department brings in 10 percent higher productivity first.”
Third, expect quality results and show it through the rubric you create to measure in results.
How much and what type of brain activity occurs depends on what people see is expected? The clearer your expectations – the more consensus you’ll achieve. You might expect : a). every employee involved; b). daily progress tracked and submitted; c). accurate financial records available; d). links to firm’s vision statement evident; and e). customer service improvements highlighted.
Fourth, move an action plan forward by engaging peoples’ unique gifts and abilities toward common results – 10% higher profitability. You’ll waste far less talent in each department if people are encouraged to use more of their multiple intelligences at work.
Finally, reflect daily with the question… “Where to from here?” Look at what the day brought and tweak new parts to increase that direction the following day. Make notes to ensure the tweaked parts are visible to all and any new pathways are clearly marked.
You’ll find more productive brain activity when opportunities arise for action from different parts in the brain. When such action is initiated by increasing people’s level of consciousness for specific activities each person is performing, you get faster and more effective consensus.
If you’ve attended meetings where most people lose consciousness rather than gain productivity… you’ll be amazed at the difference. What do you think?
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