Making quick decisions
To quote Rudyard Kipling, from "The Elephant's Child"-
I keep six honest serving-men
(They taught me all I knew);
Their names are What and Why and When
And How and Where and Who.
THE MOST important aspect of decision making is knowing the terrain. -Information is the operative word here. The freedom of choice comes from having a bounty of information at your disposal. All decisions are shots in the dark if they are not based on facts and figures. Which is why making `informed decisions' is the order of the day and all technology is geared to cater to this need.
Decision-making starts as early as infancy and continues into adulthood. We are constantly making decisions all our life - what to wear in the morning, what to buy at the store, what to eat, where to go for a holiday, when to clean the basement, who to marry, what to study, which job to take, etc; etc;
But decision-making is a process not an event. There are several stages such as understanding the problem, gathering information, finding alternative solutions, picking the right one and finally taking action. Both at a personal level, and in the context of organisations, a sharp mind and an ability to make decisions quickly form the foundation of success.
It is also the essence of a true leader. But it is not as easy as it looks. There are many variables that affect our decisions. These include memory and reasoning, practical, emotional, and attitudinal factors. Stress and anxiety also play a major role in the sort of decisions we make. Often, circumstances demand that we act quickly, triggering a fight-or-flight mechanism. However, with experience, we learn to cope with contingencies. Ultimately, decision-making is a skill that gets better with time. Unfortunately, time takes... well, its own sweet time and by the time your decision-making skills reach their prime it is often too late. But there's some good news. Here are a few pointers that may help you make the right choices:
Define the situation - As Peter Marshall says, `Give to us a clear vision so that we may know where to stand and what to stand for - because unless we stand for something, we shall fall for anything.' Identify what the actual problem is. Define it, classify it and categorise it. Focus on the mater at hand and do not exacerbate it.
Prioritise- Decide what you want and decide what you are willing to exchange for it. Get your priorities right. Once you've done that, get to work.
Develop alternative solutions - Each idea could be a possible solution. Translate the ideas into solutions and try to predict the consequences. Make a decision depending on the possible outcome that you have foreseen.
Once you've decided, ACT! Even if you are on the right track, you will get run over if you just sit there. Follow through is essential here. It doesn't matter which side of the fence you get off on sometimes. The important thing is to act.
Have courage - Be a man of faith. Have the courage to take decisions. That is the stuff leaders are made of. You don't always have to take risks, making decisions and accepting responsibility is sometimes a great challenge in itself.
Management schools have their own strategies to help their students make decisions. These techniques are geared towards helping people make the best decisions possible based on the information available. Using these tools one can map out the likely consequences of decisions, and choose the best course of action to take. Some of the techniques are-
Thinking Hats style- This is a ground-breaking method that can help you look at problems from many different viewpoints. The technique is simple, a team of six members sit wearing six hats of different colours - white, black, red, yellow, green and blue.
Each hat represents a different style of thinking. For instance the White Hat helps you to focus objectively on the data available and get information. The red hat makes you look at problems using your intuition, emotion and gut instinct. Next in line is the black hat. It surveys all the cons of the decision, see why it might not work.
The yellow hat is the symbol of optimism. It helps you think positively and see the benefits that will come from taking the decision. The Green Hat stands for creativity, and finally, the Blue hat is worn by the convener or chairman of the meeting
Decision Trees- Decision Trees are excellent tools for helping people choose between several courses of action. They provide a highly effective structure within which one can lay out the options and investigate the possible outcomes of choosing those options. They also help to form a balanced picture of the risks and rewards associated with each possible course of action.
Paired Comparison Analysis, Grid analysis, Cost-Benefit Analysis, Pareto Analysis and other techniques are all aimed at coming up with fool proof decisions.
However the final decision rests solely with the person and one must consolidate the array of information, choices, options, experiences and emotions to arrive at the big decision. In a nutshell-you are what you decide. Making a decision on your own means accepting responsibility, but at least you will develop a backbone. And remember, decisions are like backbones - they help you stand taller.
SALMA ALIAKBAR
faqs@cnkonline.com
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