Ready To Move To The Executive Suite?No one sets out to make a bad decision. It's not an ambition. Actually, every bad decision began as someone's attempt at a good decision. But many companies and organizations hate decisions because they require responsibility and commitment. And, let’s face it; some executives avoid commitment like 23-year-olds at a single’s bar at 2:00am.
Why do bad decisions happen?
If making bad decisions were difficult so many people wouldn’t be making them. They happen because it’s too easy to let outside factors “cloud” the process. Have you ever met these decision-makers? Or are you one?
DM Type A - If It Worked Before Let's Do It Again
History is not always the best teacher. You can rely on past experience just as long as the situations are identical. If the situations aren't identical then experience can end up becoming overconfidence. You may rely on something in your past that's just not going to be that helpful. All in all it's overrated.
DM Type B - Right Or Wrong I'm Sticking With My Decision
Have you ever heard someone say that? In the vast majority of cases a decision is not a one-way street. If you realize you came to the wrong conclusion - act to fix it. But, and this is a big one, you have to be willing to admit a bad decision and take responsibility for correcting it. There's a persistent misconception that not only does time heal all wounds it also heals bad leadership. A decision that stinks won't smell any better with age and you can be guaranteed that what you consider an honest mistake will look more and more like self-interest with every passing day.
DM Type C – What About "Those" People? Bias
Let's agree on a point here, no one is objective. There is always a bias toward organizations, people, friends, prejudices, and competitors - the list continues. Of these the most seductive are friends and people. Loyalty is a virtue but not in decision-making. Begin by acknowledging these potential "hooks" and use them to help you evaluate some of the options. This isn't to eliminate anyone - you just "zero out" the odds of allowing them to influence your decisions.
DM Type D – What If? Fear Factor
We are hard-wired for fear. Make the real or perceived threat big enough and the fear of “what it?” leaves you paralyzed. You've felt it, the stress level ratchets up, emotions go from a simmer to a boil and you consume all your energy managing anxiety instead of focusing on reasoning and logic. Evaluate based on facts, not rumors, exaggerations or fiction. You defuse “what if?” with reality.
Make decisions like a pro
You are a professional; a leader, someone your organization and team look to for levelheaded, logical, reasonable decisions. So, take a logical, reasonable approach.
#1 Gather the information and data you need. What you don’t know can and will hurt you. Don’t force a decision without data.
#2 Develop a crystal-clear understanding of the situation. Pull out guesswork, assumption and wishful thinking. Also, don't edit the information to "soften" a bad situation or to mask or dilute earlier bad decisions. The goal isn't to assign blame it's to move forward.
#3 What do you want to achieve and what needs to happen to achieve it? Most bad decisions begin right here. What do you want and what do you not want? Contrary to modern management philosophy you can't make an intelligent decision without considering the negatives. But the negatives don't define the decision they just set some boundaries. Focusing on the desired results establishes objectives and a direction.
#4 Prioritize the available options and then act in a timely manner. If bad decisions are born at Step #3 good decisions die at Step #4. At the beginning of the decision-making process there are a number of viable options and usually 1-2 weak ones. The process drags on and on and, one-by-one, the viable options are eliminated because of time, money, etc. Finally it's the deadline and the decision has made itself because only one option remains. Call it the "Last Man Standing" school of decision-making. Some executives like this because there's no personal liability. You can't be accused of making bad choices when there aren't any. Important Point – the last available option is never the best decision.
#5 Make the decision. Nothing happens until the decision is made and acted upon. The process doesn't generate the results - the decisions do. Make the decision.
What do you do if faced with a decision you just can’t make?
Follow Buridan's Ass- This strategy is named after French Philosopher Jean Buridan. The story goes that an ass stood between two attractive bales of hay. The ass couldn't decide which bale to eat because they both looked delicious, and so it starved to death from indecision. The moral is not to let indecision make an ass out of you. Forget the perceived benefits of two “equal” options and make a list of all the drawbacks and negatives instead. Evaluate the negatives and suddenly the options won’t be equal any more.
Flip a Coin- I’m 100% serious. We complicate decision-making when the best, most logical decision is one we don't want to make. So, grab a quarter and decide that Heads = Option #1 and Tails = Option #2. Then toss the coin. How do you feel about the results? If your first reaction is relief that’s the decision you secretly wanted. If you don’t like the decision and really want to flip again, it’s not the decision you really wanted. Now you may be thinking, “That’s too simplistic, it would never work,” I challenge you to try it. I’ve used it and seen it work time and time again.
Decision-Makers make things happen
No one is paid to make bad choices. Decisions are seldom easy, popular or always rewarding but someone has to make them so it might as well be you. Hey, the people at the top got there based on their ability to make decisions – not by avoiding them. So, be a decision-maker and make things happen!
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Andy Johnston is an multi-faceted communication professional with deep experience from strategic planning, to messaging, to marketing, to media, to events, to training, to creative direction … and there are several other ”to’s.” Andy is known for his energy, creativity and his unique ability to discover the key results that must be generated – and then to develop ingenious ways to engage and motivate audiences. Positive business results are the objective. He believes that one of the most important results is an enjoyable experience for everyone involved. Andy is a principal partner at Think! Consulting Group and The Idea Group.
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