7. Appoint one or more group members to remind the group to use a structured method of solving problems. One study found that groups in which one member is trained to help the group be mindful of the procedures it uses will make high-quality decisions.48 Raters were trained to remind the group to use effective problem-solving and decision-making skills by asking the following questions at appropriate times:

Do we have enough evidence to support our choice of solution?

Have we looked at a sufficient number of alternatives?

Have we reexamined alternatives we rejected previously?

Have we avoided stereotypical thinking or premature judgments?

Because you’re taking a course in small group communication, you now know the importance of helping a group stay on track and be vigilant thinkers, so you can periodically ask these questions. Even if you’re not the appointed leader of a group, you can have a positive impact on the quality of the group’s discussion by helping the group examine its process.