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Decision Making is Part of Being a Manager
You know the feeling, right? That sickening, down deep in your gut, anxiousness that comes from being on the hot seat of decision making. You wish you could just pretend the situation or circumstances that have put you in this position would go away. Well, unfortunately that’s not going to happen. So you can either make a decision or choose to agonize for a while longer.
One of the line items on your paycheck should be “decision making”. That’s one of the things your boss put you in this position to do. Your ability to make good, timely, and effective decisions will be one of the keys to your management success. So what do you need to know about making decisions?
Point #1 – Decision Making is a Process
Anything that is going to be a regular and recurring part of your job or life needs to be approached as a process that evolves over time. A good, solid process saves time and leads to confidence as we come to rely on it and find it to be trustworthy.
What elements should be included in your decision making process?
If the decision is significant in importance, and also complex, I rely on three elements in my decision making process: written analysis, consultation with trust advisors, and mental rehearsal.
Written analysis is important because I first want to make sure that I really have clearly identified a decision that needs to be made, why it needs to be made, and by when. I take out a sheet of paper or open a blank word document and answer these questions first:
- What is the decision that needs to be made? Do I understand the decision well enough to write it down in specific detail?
- Why does it need to be made? What are the consequences of not making this decision?
- By when does it need to be made? Is it time sensitive?
You must define the decision first before you can begin to consider the choices you have. It’s not unusual to come to a realization during this first step that you may not really have to make a decision or that the decision you need to make is different then you originally thought.
Once you have defined your decision, it’s time to consider your options. This is where I like to bring in trusted advisors. I find that discussing a difficult decision with someone who can provide good counsel gives me the benefit of another view point or perspective. I mentioned earlier that your boss expects you to make decisions but there isn’t a rule that says you can’t talk to him or her about the decision you’re facing and ask their opinion on what you are considering as your course of action. As you will find when your direct reports approach you in a similar fashion about decisions they are preparing to make, this provides a powerful opportunity for coaching.
Finally it’s time to play the mental “what if” game. You have defined your problem. With the help of a trusted advisor you have developed several possible options. Now think through how each of these will play out. Mentally rehearse each possible decision. Think about what it will feel like to make the decision and what reactions you will encounter for each of the various options. Make sure to consider “worst-case scenarios” so you will be prepared if and when the time comes.
One of the exercises I like to do is to draw a line down the middle of a sheet of paper and write all the “positives” on one side and all the “negatives” on the other. This helps me make difficult choices when the best option isn’t easy to identify.
Point #2 – Decision Making is a Skill
Skills develop with practice and education. Look at decision making the same way and give yourself permission to fail early as you learn. But don’t waste the learning opportunity that can be gleaned from a failure. Education isn’t cheap so don’t waste it. Buy a notebook to record your major decisions and what you learn from them. Make sure to also do a post-evaluation and ask yourself what you would do different knowing what you now know. Seek out other more-experienced managers and ask them about their decision making process.
Point #3 – Make Decisions the Right Decisions
Once you have made a decision, what you do next will often determine whether the decision was the right one. Don’t waste time and energy continuing to question whether you’ve made the right decision. Make the decision and then make it the right one.
Transformational Exercise
Buy a Decision Making Journal and commit to recording your significant managerial decisions. Follow this discipline for 90 days and share with a trusted mentor what you’ve learned.
