Decision-Making by TNI
Committees and Boards
Requirements and Guidance
Policy Committee Mission
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Develops general policies and procedures
for TNI.
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Resource for developing policies and SOPs
Reviews existing policies and SOPs for
consistency and conformity with TNI mission
Provides recommendations for endorsement
by TNI Board
Developers -- Reviewers
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DEVELOP
Policies and SOPs
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Affecting more than
one TNI Program
Administrative
When directed by TNI
Board
When requested by a
program or committee
REVIEW
All policies and SOPs
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Consistency among
each other
Conformance to TNI
Mission
Recommend
endorsement by TNI
Board
Committee Profile
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Administrative Committee
Under direction of TNI Board
Members are representatives of TNI
Programs and committees
One member from the TNI Board
One at-large member
Member -- Representing
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Alfredo Sotomayor*
Jerry Parr
JoAnn Boyd
RaeAnn Haynes
Silky Labie
Carol Schrenkel
Steve Stubbs
Bob Wyeth
*Chair
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TNI Board
Ex-Officio
LASC
Proficiency Testing
Consensus Standards
Technical Assistance
NELAP
Advocacy
Hierarchy of Normative
Documents
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Articles of Incorporation
Bylaws
General TNI Policies
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Program Policies
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General TNI SOPs
 General TNI Guidance
Program SOPs
 General TNI Guidance
Need to look at all to completely understand
process
Document Process
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Draft, finalize, and approve policies and SOPs
Refer to other programs when needed for
concurrent approval
Send to Policy Committee for consistency review
Send to TNI Board
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Organizational impact
Final endorsement
Post on TNI Website
Ownership
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Charter guides creation of product
Drafter owns product
Reviewer suggests changes
Drafter responds to suggested changes
All can review, suggest
Only drafter can change product
General Policies and SOPs
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Creating General
Policies for TNI
Conflicts of Interest
Ethical Conduct of
TNI Member
Use of TNI Logos and
Marks
Management of
Records
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Format Guidelines for
SOPs of TNI
Operations of TNI
Committees and
Program Boards
Decision-Making
Rules for TNI
Committees and
Boards
Why Tackle DecisionMaking?
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Global issue
Outcome of all deliberations
Prelude to committee products
Policy Committee felt guidance would be
useful
We are all concerned about “voting”
Integral to ensuring mission
The SOP
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SOP 1 – 102: Decision-Making Rules for
TNI Committees and Boards
Endorsed: TNI Board: December 12, 2007
Effective: January 31, 2008
Implementation: May 1, 2008
Applicability: All TNI Programs and
Committees
Requirements
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Declare type of rule used to make a
specific decision
Establish clear decision points
Establish quorum requirements
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No fewer than three Committee Members or
Directors
Record in the minutes all decisions made
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For motions, record text, originator, and
member who seconds
Options to Requirements
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Consider allowing absent members to
register a vote
Change rule for making a decision
following an established rule
Document votes cast by each member
Record a minority or dissenting opinion
Foundation for DecisionMaking
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Participatory decision-making leads to
sustainable agreements
Clear decision points mark the moment
and allow proceeding with implementation
Decision-making by clear rules promotes
accountability and ownership
All decisions made should follow
established rules.
Types of Decisions
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High-stakes
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Long lasting results
Not easily reversible
Can be complex or contentious
Affect many
Require ownership by many
Low-stakes
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Simple, routine
High or Low?
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Where will the committee have dinner?
Who will be a committee member?
How are minutes approved?
When is an SOP revised?
How often does the program board meet?
How is the committee’s charter approved?
Who will be the Chair of TNI Board?
Types of Decision-Making
Rules
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Flip a coin
Person-in-charge decides without
discussion
Person-in-charge decides after discussion
Majority vote*
Enthusiastic support*
Unanimous agreement*
*Rules that can involve consensus, a participatory process of
deliberation to make a decision
“Flip a Coin”
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Arbitrary, random
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Picking numbers from a hat, lottery
Not appropriate for high-stakes decisions
Good for quick low-stakes decisions
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Will the minutes be printed on blue or white
paper?
Will the Chair buy dinner for committee
members?
Person-in-Charge Decides
Without Discussion
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Good for low-stakes decisions
For high-stakes decisions:
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Connects authority with accountability
Can create blind spots
By delegation of a group to a leader
In times of crisis
Example
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Chair cancels scheduled meeting
Executive Director chooses sweatshirt color
Person-in-Charge Decides
After Discussion
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Combines authority with advice
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Can promote giving false advice
Works well using devil’s advocate thinking
May seem wasteful for low-stakes decision
Example
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Executive Director chooses meeting locale
after considering advice of planning
committee
Majority Vote
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Most commonly used rule
Group can decide on majority level
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Simple, 51%
Two-thirds
Creates winners and losers
Works well for quick low-stakes decisions
Enthusiastic Support
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Strives for unanimity, but recognizes it is
not always possible
Very good for high-stakes decisions
Support is registered on a scale
Characterizes degree of support more
accurately
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Can lead to alternative decision-making rule
Group decides on scale and level of
support to use
Gradients of Agreement
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Endorse
Agree with reservation
Mixed feelings
Don’t like, but won’t block
Veto
Rule in Action
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Can use colors
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Can use numbers
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Green = complete agreement
Red = VETO
5 = Complete agreement
1 = VETO
Key is to decide before you are
considering a proposal
Example
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To elect a Chair, a Board requires:
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That 8 out 10 members register agreement on
first three levels, but a veto does not defeat
proposal
To remove a member, a committee
requires:
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That 7 out of 10 members register agreement
on the first two levels, that all members vote,
and veto defeats proposal
Unanimous Agreement
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Most involved
Takes time and understanding
All have veto power
Effort is rewarded with sustainability
Example
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To recognize an accreditation body, a board
requires unanimity
Reaching Closure
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Last phase of decision-making
Essential and crucial, yet often omitted
If you don’t close it, it remains open
Reach closure via a meta-decision
“Meta-Decision”
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A decision made by a group or person-incharge that determines whether a decision
on a proposal under discussion can or
cannot be made.
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You are deciding whether you can decide
Example
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To approve SOP Policy Committee
requires:
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RULE: Enthusiastic support
SUPPORT LEVEL*: All votes in top three
levels, no vetoes, all members vote
IF NO SUPPORT (IMPASSE): Redraft and
reconsider
FINAL CONSIDERATION*: If no support
again, simple majority will decide
*Meta-decision points:
Chair decides when to end discussion
Roadmap to Your DecisionMaking
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Tabulate the types of decisions you make
Assign a rule to each type of decision
Establish how to change an assigned rule
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Approve the decision-making scheme
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What to do if there is an impasse
By an appropriate rule
Consider the meta-decisions
Document all decisions made
Conformance to TNI Mission
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Promotes openness
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Creates transparency
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Upfront decisions
Documents crucial transactions
Ensures inclusiveness
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All accounted, all participate
In Other Words
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Read it
Understand it
Walk it
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Implement by May 1, 2008