If two heads are better than one, why do I have bruises on my forehead? Managing the group process

Managers are using groups more frequently for solving complex organizational problems because of numerous organizational and environmental factors. Yet, many managers see group decision-making meetings as more of a problem than a solution. This article discusses situations where groups should and should not be used and recommends specific skills a leader can use to improve the effectiveness of group decision making. Emphasis is placed on managing the group process to achieve a satisfactory outcome. An exercise to test the validity of the suggestions is provided.