Running a group decision in two rounds

Round one: collect the candidates

Open a multiple-choice poll with a wide list, or invite people to add options in the description. The goal is coverage, not ranking — do not ask anyone to pick a favourite yet.

Round two: decide with a short list

Take the top three or four and run a single-choice poll with a deadline. Fewer options means faster answers, and people who were outvoted in round one can still accept the result because their candidate reached the final.

Scheduling needs a narrower question

For a meeting time, do not ask “when are you free” without boundaries. Offer five concrete slots, cap the choices so people express a real preference, and close the poll before the calendar invite goes out. A slot that three people find acceptable beats a slot one person loves.

Say what the poll decides

Write the rule in the description: “highest vote wins”, “top two go to a run-off”, “this is advisory, the organiser decides”. Polls that quietly turn out to be advisory are the fastest way to lose trust in the next one.

Announce the outcome

Post the result where you posted the poll, with the next step and the date. Closing the loop is what makes people answer the next poll without being asked twice.