Very true. I recently had that exact conversation. I believe the intent of most “committees” is to explore outside ideas or input. It’s a typical scenario, one that can be effective – but it really comes down to, is who’s involved in the committee/group and the who will be ultimate decision maker. Without a person to 1) direct the group 2) make a final decision (without fear of offending anyone’s ideas) with a predetermined time limit, a clear directive and a final goal; they can work. Sadly many committee’s seem to be a last ditch effort where the decision maker feels stuck and hopes to find lightning in a long extended meeting of overdone ideas and personal preferences. Committee’s need to contain people with unified ideals, similar strengths and pinpoint focus (which can be 2 people or 10 people); anything else is chaos and useless.
so good!!
So true. The biggest killer of progress in a project is losing momentum and the biggest killers of momentum are lack of focus and indecision. Committees are good at neither of those things.
Maybe we need to rid ourselves of committees completely. Just do away with them. Or at least banish every 3rd one on principle…
Perhaps there is a fundamental difference between committee and team. It may be only semantics, but I don’t think so. In my experience, the former seems more the “let’s get together because someone says we have to and because (sevendeadlywordsithasalwaysbeendonethatway) I need to have input into whatever even if I don’t have the foggiest notion what is going on or have the least ability or talent in this area,” and the latter is more focused on project/task completion with assigned direction/director in charge as Paul aluded to in his post.
Committees exist most times to accomplish lofty things in the minds of their creators but on a small scale; because they are often poorly conceived at the outset, thrown together in hast for the task-of-the- moment sometimes, they also and often waste time, money, and exponentially increase frustration, loose purpose, and accomplish little. And people tend to wander into committees without being asked quite often!
Teams on the other hand, usually, not always, are created for singular purposes, tend to exist over time, and have those assigned to them who have like ideas, ideals, talents, or at least some focused like-mindedness that, at the start at least seems to put them at an advantage above committees. Those who demonstrate like-minedness outside the team can be invited in to serve or be a part of the team for one project, several, or as a permanent member, but no one show up one day and says “Hey guys! I’m here!” Teams just seem more workable structurally.
Maybe? Go team?
About The Author
I'm a graphic designer and sometimes writer living in Anderson, South Carolina. I serve as the Design Director for NewSpring Church. I love Jesus, my wife, Levi's Jeans, good Tex-Mex, and 8oz glass bottle Coca-Cola Classic. On good days I love them roughly in that order. Email me.
On Too Many Cooks in the Kitchen
Mon 03/16/09
There’s no way around it, design-by-committee will cost you in the long run. So will decision-by-committee. Or anything-by-committee. It’s simple math. You’re going to pay the overhead. It might not be in cash (though it probably will be), but you’ll potentially bleed time and missed opportunities and your sanity in the process. Too many cooks COSTS.
So the buck stops where? Who’s calling the shots? Who’s the filter?