The Delphi technique is created for manipulation of crowd or group opinion. Delphi method is useful when facilitator has the ability to destabilize anybody who thinks differently and independently from the group.
Who Does Use the Delphi Technique?
Everybody can use this method. Man, a woman, a teenager.
How Delphi Technique Works?
For example, Mark wants to present his idea and reach agreement from the group. He lays his cards on the table, shows positive aspects of the project.
Unfortunately, Peter does not want that people would approve this project. It does not matter how it is good, that facts and evidence are astonishing and it works for the wellness of crowd.
Peter gives arguments against Mark’s project. Peter discredits him, and he does not let the group align with the natural leader, in this case, Mark.
The group diverted from Mark’s project with questions which are not important and are distracting away from the main topic.
Peter’s helpers tell everybody that group reached consensus and Peter won. He won because team’s attention shifted to Peter’s side.
How Could Mark Fight for His Project?
Mark must remain calm. It does not matter how harsh conditions can be; he must hold his ground. Politeness, calm mind, and smile( if possible) are tools which help to prove the point and achieve consensus for the goodness of people.
Why Does Delphi Technique Need?
Delphi techniques used to reach consensus on controversial topics. Usually, Delphi technique used at the conventions or debates where decisions already made regarding one or next topic.
If somebody wants to change the decision or wants to provide arguments, he or she is humiliated and look as ridiculous who do not know what they talk.
Facilitators make the impression that decisions are great and the crowd must reach consensus. It does not matter that there are strong arguments against decisions or members want to express their opinion. People who do not agree with already made decisions are ridiculed and feel ashamed.
How to Solve and Win Against Delphi Technique?
You must be polite, sincere and calm. The key is to stay calm, keep your composure and concentrate on the topic.
Facilitators want to show you as a person who is unstable and angry. They can give the provoking question. Facilitators try to avert the public’s attention to the topic which is important to them.
According to Dr. Carolyn Dean, MD, N, “people with firm, fixed beliefs, who are not afraid to stand up for what they believe in, are obvious threats.”
Delphi technique is a group manipulation. People who know what it is and how it works prepared for unexpected interruptions and provocations.
Hey Nemira,
Can you elaborate more on Delphi technique. Yes, to win a consensus, you have to be strong in your arguments with facts and figures plus when you have oratory skills, you can win it easy. There are arguments and counter-arguments but often the mass vote in the direction where they feel the rhetoric is brilliantly done, in this case the facts might loose to rhetoric. Loud and bold arguments are judged to be good and that lead to win, in many cases.
Hi, your comment is straight to the point and you are right. We can see here in USA how it works. It works everywhere. What I wanted to tell with this blog that people need to be careful when they make decisions. As I wrote, if there are people who have an interest in other decisions as yours, they can divide public or crowd, turn their attention to a different direction and make them believe that your proposal was wrong or inadequate one.
Hi Nemira,
After many years on the internet I learned how to communicate with people and understand opposite views, arguments even rude and dangerous (threatening) comments.
That experience taught me to become much calmer (as you mentioned in your text), I just couldn’t go with my head through the wall. I just had to learn it!
It also taught me to try to present my views and fact in the way that anyone can understand, fight for my views in a persistent, strong but again quiet manner.
We should grow and learn how to remain eager to achieve our goals and at the same time to respect views of other people.
And if we can do it with a smile, which is sometimes hard but much more useful and better.
I like the topic that you write about on your website. I am surprised how narrow that niche is and how much it can be discussed.
I hope I succeeded to explain my thoughts since English is not my mother tongue.
Your name sounds familiar to me. 🙂
I see that you have several websites. I am still working on my first one.
Good luck to you!
Lora
Hello, Lora. Thanks for comment. When I read about Delphi technique in Carolyn Dean’s book Death by Modern Medicine I was surprised that tactics used in my previous job have the name.
Your English is great. You expressed your thoughts in a clear and understandable manner.
All the best, Nemira.