Effective Decision Making

We agree that for effective decision making, we must analyze the problem, review the different solutions in the light of well-defined choice criteria. Moreover weight them in an evaluation grid, and so on. Except that when you have 5- minutes to choose between several alternatives. Then the complete method is inapplicable! And in the life of an entrepreneur or a manager, this situation is almost daily. 

Emergencies and Effective Decision Making

Not being able to explore all the data of the problem and accurately evaluate the scope of all the possible solutions, you will have to rely on your intuition while rationalizing your choices. This back and forth between rationality and instinct will help you make the most of yourself to decide effectively. The idea is to feed his brain with concrete information and rely on his choice. The decision mechanism often escapes our consciousness because it exploits signals that we do not perceive voluntarily.

1. Take a Step Back

To make a good decision, you must know how to stop what you are doing at the moment and focus on the issue.

Your goal is to have a free and available mind to mobilize all your intellectual resources. What should I? Visualization techniques work well. You can, for example, imagine that you are in a cluttered room (the present situation) and that you change to another room painted in white, empty, if not a desk in the center with the question to be solved. You have understood: you must detach from your concerns of the moment!

2. What is the Problem or Situation?

First step required. Quickly analyze the ins and outs of the subject. In a few questions, identify the essential elements, identify the main issues. Do not get lost in the details; you do not have the time! And that would only confuse you! Isolate the problem of superfluous elements.

3. What are the main Solutions?

Identify the answers you can bring. For each alternative, evaluate the gains (or profits), their costs of obtaining and the losses (or renunciations). The cost of obtaining it is often neglected while it can tilt the balance from one solution to another. Ask yourself questions like: what will I gain by choosing this solution? How much will it cost me? What will I lose with this choice? There too, do not dive into indiscriminate precisions. Stay at a sufficient level of analysis to keep all your lucidity.

4. Decide

Do your arbitration in light of the analysis you have just done. Choose which option to remember, knowing that your decision will not be perfect, but will still be satisfactory. Trust your intuition: you may not know why at 100% you make this choice. Whatever! By trusting your instincts, you gain new opportunities to express your potential.

And yes: using his instinct to decide will make the enthusiasts leap at all rational. But when the decision must be made without delay, no one can rationally list all the data of a problem and explore the field of possible solutions with a fine analysis of their characteristics. To be rational is to act in this way. One last point. As a good manager, listen and trust your employees. Their expertise is invaluable to help you make good decisions.

Obstruct Good Decision-Making?

There are a slew of issues that can stymie good decision-making and some of them are discussed below.

Insufficient Information

It can feel like you’re making a decision without any basis if you don’t have enough details. Even if you’re on a tight deadline, take some time to collect the information you’ll need to make an informed decision. Prioritize your information gathering if possible by determining which information is most valuable to you.

Overabundance of Data

The polar opposite problem, but one that is surprisingly common: getting so much contradictory information that it is difficult to see “the forest for the trees.” This is known as analysis paralysis, and it’s also a strategy for delaying organizational decisions by having those involved demand ever more information before making a decision.

There Are So Many People

Effective decision making is difficult when decided by many people. Everyone has their own beliefs and perspectives. While it’s critical to understand these points of view, as well as why and how they matter, it might be necessary for one person to take responsibility for making a decision. However any choice is sometimes preferable to none.

Emotional Connections

People are often enamored of the status quo. Decisions always include the possibility of transition, which many people dread. So Change in Management can help to overcome this issue but keep in mind that choosing not to decide is also a decision.