When making decisions as a group, it’s easy for some voices to get lost or for people to simply agree with the majority. The stepladder technique offers a way to encourage everyone’s input and create more thoughtful, well-rounded decisions. This method helps reduce groupthink by gradually adding people to the discussion one by one, ensuring that each person has a chance to share their unique perspective before hearing others’ thoughts.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through what the stepladder technique is, how it works, and how you can use it to improve your group decision-making, whether you’re working on a team project, planning a meeting, or just trying to make better choices together.
What Is the Stepladder Technique
The stepladder technique is a decision-making technique designed to avoid the dangers of groupthink and make sure everyone’s ideas are heard. Created by Steven Rogelberg, Janet Barnes-Farrell, and Charles Lowe in 1992, this technique gradually involves team members in the discussion, allowing each person to share their thoughts before they are influenced by others.
Used in many different work environments, the goal of the stepladder technique is to bring out a wide range of ideas, so no one person’s opinion dominates the conversation. Instead of having everyone share their thoughts at once, new members are added one at a time, ensuring each person has a chance to contribute their unique perspective.
This approach helps generate more creative ideas and encourages open communication, leading to decisions that are well-thought-out, fair, and free from bias or rushing to a conclusion.
How to Use the Stepladder Technique | Steps
The stepladder technique is all about giving everyone a chance to speak and share their ideas in a way that reduces bias and groupthink. It helps groups come to better, more thoughtful decisions by gradually adding people to the conversation. Here’s a breakdown of how to use the stepladder technique effectively:
Step 1: Define the goals of the meeting
Before starting the discussion, it’s important to clearly outline the goals of the meeting or brainstorming session. Whether it’s solving a problem, making a decision, or generating new ideas, setting a clear objective ensures that everyone is on the same page and working toward the same outcome. This step creates a unified direction for all participants and makes the whole process more focused and efficient.
Step 2: Select participants
Choose a diverse group of people to be part of the discussion. The more varied the perspectives, the more creative and comprehensive the ideas will be. Make sure to include individuals from different backgrounds, skills, and experiences, as this will increase the chances of generating a wide range of innovative ideas.
Step 3: Provide context
Brief the participants on the issue or decision at hand. Make sure everyone has the necessary information to form their own opinions and ideas. This could include background data, goals, or any other relevant details. Giving everyone the same context ensures that all participants are starting from the same point and that their ideas will be focused and meaningful.
Step 4: Individual brainstorming
Before any group discussions begin, give each participant time to brainstorm their ideas independently. This allows everyone to think freely and come up with their own solutions without being influenced by others. This step is key to reducing bias and ensuring that all ideas are fresh and unique.
Step 5: Initiate core discussion
Start with a small core group of two people. These two will begin discussing the issue or decision on their own, each sharing their individual thoughts. Starting with just two people ensures that the conversation is focused and that no one feels overwhelmed by too many voices at once. It also helps set the tone for the rest of the discussion.
Step 6: Add members gradually
Slowly reintroduce additional members to the conversation, one by one. When each new person joins, they should first share their thoughts before hearing the ideas from the others. This ensures that each participant contributes their unique perspective without being swayed by previous opinions. Gradually adding members also allows the discussion to build on fresh ideas, rather than jumping straight into group consensus.
Step 7: Conduct open discussions
Once all members have shared their ideas individually, encourage an open discussion where everyone can exchange opinions. This is the time for ideas to be challenged, refined, or even combined to create stronger solutions. A respectful, open dialogue encourages creativity and critical thinking, allowing the group to explore all possibilities before settling on a final decision.
Step 8: Evaluation and decision
After all the ideas have been discussed, evaluate the options as a group. Assess the pros and cons of each idea and decide on the best solution based on the group’s goals. This final step should be collaborative, where everyone’s input is considered, and a well-rounded decision is made.
Stepladder Technique Templates
Here you’ll find simple templates to guide you through the Stepladder Technique. Use them to include everyone’s ideas in discussions and adjust as needed for decision-making or problem-solving.
Stepladder Brainstorming Template
Simple Stepladder Brainstorming Template
Stepladder Technique Template
Online Stepladder Technique Template
Stepladder Braisntorming Example
When to Use the Stepladder Technique
The stepladder technique is most effective in situations where diverse ideas and fair decision-making are essential. It works well in environments that require creativity, strategic planning, and open communication. Here are some scenarios where this method can be especially beneficial:
1. Brainstorming
This technique is perfect for brainstorming sessions where fresh, creative ideas are needed. By allowing each person to contribute their thoughts before hearing from others, you avoid having dominant voices overshadow new ideas. This helps unlock more innovative solutions and encourages diverse thinking.
2. Conflict resolution
The stepladder technique is also great for resolving conflicts. It gives everyone a chance to express their concerns independently before group discussions, which helps reduce misunderstandings. This approach fosters a sense of understanding and empathy, leading to more effective resolutions.
3. Team meetings
In team meetings, the stepladder technique ensures that everyone has an equal say, regardless of their position or personality. It reduces the chances of one person dominating the conversation and ensures that decisions reflect the collective input of the whole team.
4. Project planning
When planning a project, the stepladder technique helps include all relevant stakeholders in a structured way. Each participant can voice their opinions on potential risks, opportunities, and strategies, leading to a more comprehensive and well-rounded plan.
5. Performance evaluations
The technique can improve fairness in performance evaluations by allowing each team member to give their input independently. This leads to a more balanced and thorough evaluation process, ensuring that all perspectives are considered before final decisions are made.
6. Training and workshops
In training sessions or workshops, the stepladder technique encourages active participation from all attendees. It fosters a more inclusive environment, making the session more interactive and beneficial for everyone involved.
Helpful Resources
13 effective brainstorming techniques you can use to quickly brainstorm and generate ideas through drawing, writing, and diagramming with your team productively.
Decision making in management is one of the most important responsibilities, impacting everything from day-to-day operations to long-term success.
This guide explores such powerful decision making frameworks designed to help you make better decisions.
This guide will walk you through each step of the critical decision making model, showing you how to make thoughtful decisions with confidence and clarity.
6 Benefits of Using the Stepladder Technique
The stepladder technique brings many advantages, especially when it comes to making fair and effective group decisions. By giving everyone a chance to speak and ensuring that no one dominates the conversation, this method helps improve the overall decision-making process. Here are some key benefits:
1. Encourages equal participation
One of the main benefits of the stepladder technique is that it ensures every person in the group has an equal opportunity to contribute. By adding members one at a time and allowing them to speak before hearing others, it prevents any one person from overpowering the conversation. This leads to a more balanced and inclusive discussion.
2. Reduces groupthink
Groupthink happens when people go along with the majority opinion instead of voicing their own ideas. The stepladder technique helps avoid this by giving everyone the chance to share their thoughts independently. This promotes more diverse and creative ideas, leading to better, more thoughtful decisions.
3. Improves idea quality
Since each person shares their ideas before hearing others, the ideas are more original and less influenced by the group. This leads to higher-quality input and often more innovative solutions. The method encourages individual thinking, which can result in breakthroughs that might not have come up in a traditional group setting.
4. Fosters open communication
The stepladder technique promotes open communication and trust within the group. As people are encouraged to speak up without pressure from others, they feel more comfortable sharing their honest opinions. This creates a more collaborative environment where everyone’s voice matters.
5. Builds team collaboration
The structured nature of the stepladder technique helps team members work together more effectively. It allows them to build on each other’s ideas in a way that’s respectful and thoughtful. By taking turns to speak, teams can find common ground and make decisions that everyone can support.
6. Enhances decision-making
Because the technique gathers input from everyone before group discussions, it leads to more comprehensive and well-rounded decisions. The group can consider a wider range of ideas and viewpoints, which results in better solutions that take all factors into account.
Using Creately to Brainstorm with the Stepladder Technique
Creately offers several features that make it an excellent brainstorming tool using the stepladder technique. This method benefits from a structured approach, and Creately’s collaborative design helps ensure each participant contributes their ideas clearly and without influence. Here’s how you can use Creately’s key features to enhance your Stepladder brainstorming sessions:
1. Real-time collaboration
Creately’s real-time collaboration feature allows team members to work together seamlessly, even if they’re not in the same room. Everyone can see and interact with the board as ideas are added, ensuring everyone stays on the same page without interrupting each other’s thought process.
2. Customizable workspace
Creately provides an intuitive, flexible workspace where you can add shapes, sticky notes, and text boxes. Each participant can use their own space to jot down ideas independently, making it easy to organize thoughts before sharing them with the group. The customizable nature of the workspace allows you to adapt it to your needs, whether it’s for a quick brainstorming session or a more structured idea evaluation.
3. Sticky notes for individual input
Sticky notes in Creately are perfect for capturing individual thoughts during brainstorming. Each participant can add their own sticky note with a unique color, helping to differentiate their ideas from others. These notes can be easily moved around, edited, and connected once the group discussion begins.
4. Interactive voting and comments
Once everyone has added their ideas, Creately allows participants to vote on or comment on ideas. This makes it easier to prioritize and evaluate the suggestions that are most valuable. You can add thumbs-up or thumbs-down reactions, or simply leave comments to suggest improvements or refinements.
5. Drag-and-drop functionality
Creately’s drag-and-drop feature makes it simple to organize ideas visually. After each member shares their thoughts, you can group similar ideas together, creating clusters of related concepts. This visual arrangement helps to identify patterns and potential solutions quickly.
6. Templates for quick setup
Creately offers pre-made templates that can be easily customized for brainstorming sessions using the stepladder technique. These templates provide a great starting point, saving you time while still allowing for the flexibility to adjust as the session progresses.
Conclusion: Make Better Decisions with the Stepladder Technique
The stepladder technique is a simple way to improve group decision-making by giving everyone a chance to share their ideas. It helps avoid groupthink, encourages creativity, and makes discussions more fair and balanced.
This method works well for brainstorming, solving problems, planning projects, or running better meetings. By following its step-by-step process, your team can come up with smarter, more thoughtful solutions.
With tools like Creately, using the stepladder technique gets even easier. Creately helps organize ideas, involve everyone, and keep the process smooth and efficient.
Try the stepladder technique in your next meeting—it’s a small change that can lead to big results for your team!
References
Rogelberg, S.G., Barnes-Farrell, J.L. and Lowe, C.A. (1992). The stepladder technique: An alternative group structure facilitating effective group decision making. Journal of Applied Psychology, 77(5), pp.730–737. doi:https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.77.5.730.
Winquist, J.R. and Franz, T.M. (2008). Does the Stepladder Technique improve group decision making? A series of failed replications. Group Dynamics: Theory, Research, and Practice, 12(4), pp.255–267. doi:https://doi.org/10.1037/1089-2699.12.4.255.
Orpen, C. (1995). Using the stepladder technique to improve team performance. Team Performance Management: An International Journal, 1(3), pp.24–27. doi:https://doi.org/10.1108/13527599510084830.
The process involves the following steps: This technique is particularly useful in scenarios such as:FAQs on the Stepladder Technique
How does the Stepladder Technique work?
In what situations is the Stepladder Technique most effective?
Are there any challenges associated with the Stepladder Technique?
How does the Stepladder Technique compare to traditional brainstorming?
Can the Stepladder Technique be used in virtual settings?
