How to become a better decision-maker
Decision-making is an inescapable task for managers. In the eyes of staff members, it is the managers who must take the final responsibility for decisions. Each year they make literally thousands of them, large and small. In the end, the quality of those decisions determines the success of a manager's efforts. If you want to become a quality decision maker, particularly when the 'big' decisions count, these guidelines will help...
1. Adopt a systematic approach.
Decision making is actually part of problem solving: there would be no decision to make if there were no problem to solve. Decision-making is that component of the problem-solving process that follows analysis of the problem and is followed, in turn, by action to carry out the decision. The problem-solving process outlined in the previous topic could well be used in arriving at major decisions.
2. Focus on important decisions.
Try not to spend too much time on small matters. It's the important decisions that must receive your full attention. Deciding who should fill the hot water urn each morning is of less importance than a decision about the focus of the new marketing strategy. Importance is determined by asking such questions as: How close is the deadline? What are the consequences of a poor decision? Who is affected by the decision? Is the decision reversible? Answers to such questions will also help clarify the decision to be made.
3. Avoid making snap decisions.
Spur-of-the-moment decisions are often merely guesses. Quantity can be no substitute for quality. Impetuous decisions relating to major issues could later lead to a serious log jam of consequential problems. On the other hand…
