How You Do Things...

This is an old adage of mine that applies to many different situations. In this column, I’d like to apply it to decision-making: how you get to a decision matters as much as what the decision actually is. In other words, decision-making processes are important.

Process sometimes gets a bad name. We think about bureaucracies or political bodies that grind away forever on process and somehow never get to a decision and nothing ever changes. There is merit to the critique that process can become an excuse to hide behind, a crutch if you will, so as to avoid making any decision at all. Or perhaps when we hear the word “process,” we think about all those times when an urgent decision was necessary and that decision wasn’t made in a timely manner because “we have to go through the process,” and the process took too long. Fair enough. However, when a decision is difficult and consequential, a robust decision-making process is critical to the quality of that decision.

A decision is difficult when there are many unknowns, or facts in dispute, or widely differing opinions, or no obviously right answers. A decision is consequential when its impact is far-reaching and there are long-term implications, some of which cannot be understood in the present.

A robust decision-making process includes careful planning itself and must include five key considerations: who participates; what data is evaluated; how long should the process take; what are the decision-making criteria; and how will the final decision actually get made.

Who Participates?

Who is vital to include in order to have a well-informed process? Subject-matter experts or outside expertise? People closest to the problem who understand it best? People with divergent viewpoints? (Remember if everyone agrees quickly on a difficult decision, you are probably missing something important.) People whose support will be vital in advocating for the decision or implementing the decision? All these questions should be carefully considered upfront so that the right people are included in the decision-making process from the beginning. As we will see later, being included in the process doesn’t necessarily mean someone is an ultimate decision-maker.

What Facts, Data and Analysis must we evaluate?

This isn’t quite as easy as it sounds. It’s easy to fool ourselves into thinking a decision is obvious by only looking at a small set of facts. The goal is to have a thorough understanding of the various alternatives we should consider as we move toward a decision; and a thorough analysis of the probable consequences of each of the decision alternatives. Enough facts and data must be gathered and assessed so that decision-makers have as complete and accurate a picture as possible of each of the various alternatives and their consequences.

How Long Should the Process Take?

To ensure we don’t engage in “analysis-paralysis,” we must balance our desire for complete and thorough understanding against a realistic timeline. Usually, an imperfect decision made in a timely manner is better than a perfect decision made too late. A perfect decision rarely exists; there is always more information we can gather, and every decision inevitably gets stress-tested and modified during execution and encounters with the outside world. So, decide upfront when a decision must be made and then work backwards from there to design a robust, but timely, decision-making process. And then, stick to the timetable.

What Are the Decision Criteria?

It’s amazing how often teams will move into decision-making mode without discussing and agreeing on how to make the decision. Alignment and agreement are usually very difficult when people aren’t clear and thoughtful about how they are actually going to decide an important matter. Make the time to develop a list of the most important decision criteria and then take the time to discuss that framework and come to an agreement.

Who Decides?

There may be some people included in a decision-making process that are not appropriate decision-makers. So get clear about who will make the final call. And get clear as well about whether you are seeking unanimity or consensus if there is more than one decision-maker involved. Don’t eliminate people from the discovery and discussion phase because they aren’t the ultimate “decider.” Just be upfront about who is going to decide.

A difficult and consequential decision has a higher probability of success if it is made in an environment of understanding, alignment, and clarity. These five steps may seem common sense, but as the old saying goes, “common sense ain’t so common.” Don’t rush headlong into a decision without thinking through how that decision will get made.