Why you don’t need an odd number of teammates to make good decisions

When it comes to team size, there are benefits to small numbers. There is also a common thread among those who preach small team sizes. That thread is that of the “odd” number of teammates. The reasons of course being that an odd number ensures no tie votes. I believe that there is a better way, assuming your team functions well together.

A small team means faster decisions, better communication, and less training efforts needed. A feature of startups that makes them attractive are the usually small initial teams, and the inevitably quick pace. A small team stands better chances of everyone being on the same page. Great teams do one thing better than good teams: they listen.

Great teams actually listen to each other and consider each other’s opinions. They do their best to always reply to an idea they are unsure of with another idea that includes at least part of the original idea. This is the growth mindset at work, and it is what makes a great team function as a master mind.

A master mind works by combining the minds of multiple people. And since a single human brain can hold more information than the size of the internet (as of this writing anyway) imagine what a group of them can accomplish, granted they have similar goals. There is a key to the proper function of a mastermind, and that is the ability to make decisions.

The ability to make decisions is why many will suggest an odd number of team mates. That way, when trying to make a decision, the majority vote will be clear each and every time. This theory works fine, but it is not required if your team is working as a mastermind, fostering growth mindset communication.

Imagine a team of 4 people. When one person, lets say Red, comes up with an idea, he will present the idea to his teammates: Blue, Green, and Yellow. Blue and Yellow may both think that his idea is great and decide to approve it. Yellow on the other hand, well she doesn’t quite see the idea working and backs it up with well thought out reasons why. She may even present an alternative idea that builds on the strengths of Red’s original idea.

Assuming this is a great group, a mastermind if you will, Red will present his idea as just that: an idea. There may be underlying goals that he’s trying to accomplish and feels are required to be met, but he also knows that his team may have a better way to reach those goals. When the idea is presented, he is not married to it he is only married to the solution to the problem the idea is attempting to solve.

Because of this disconnection with the idea, Red has no need to take part in the voting process. He believes in the idea, but he knows that better solutions may exist. Blue and Green both think the idea will work, and vote to move it forward. Yellow insists that there is a better way and votes to not move it forward. Since Red submitted the idea to the team, it is his choice to move the idea forward, since 2 of his 3 team mates are for it, or not.

Red could side with Yellow and take one of two options: One option is to table the idea in order to implement changes, as per Yellow’s suggestions, in order to resubmit it. The other option would be to pass the baton over to Yellow, who had a better idea anyway. Yellow would then repeat the process with Red, Blue, and Green as the voters.

This process continually moves forward and has every potential idea being agreed upon by a majority, while also giving ideas a chance to get better and not pass solely because of a majority vote. Obviously this process works best with a very cohesive and communicative team that trusts in each other’s judgement. Each member must know that they may not always have the best answer, and to confide in their teammates.

Obviously this is just one flavor of the many ways a team can function. Some decisions need to be made fast and can’t go through this process first. But most ideas could be implemented, and even after implementation they can be put through this process.

I only hope to erode the battle hardened belief that odds are best! Give evens a try ;)