Making Better Decisions

Setting strategy.??Driving execution.??Delivering results. These are the three main jobs of a leader.??And underlying all of these is the ability to make good decisions.??Decisions on areas of focus, talent, messaging, investments, etc. all underpin success.??Decision making, however is a task that never seems to get easier.??As you rise in the organization, take on greater responsibility, become more removed from your domain expertise and more reliant on others, it inevitably gets harder. How a leader approaches decision making is a critical success driver and an important part of their professional development.??The following are a few guidelines and tools that can assist leaders at all levels make better decisions.

1.?????Keep it simple.??Make sure you are clear on what the objective is and what success looks like. In general, these come down to increasing revenue, reducing expense, managing risk, and improving the customer experience.??If it’s not one of these, then it’s time to ask some tough questions.

2.?????Connect the dots?between the goal, the hurdles, and the resources available. Be clear on the risks, legal and regulatory compliance issues, and the ROI.??Validate that you have the necessary talent and management bandwidth to execute.?

3.?????Listen attentively?to what is being said and what is not.??Avoid information overload, especially in written materials.??Most well thought through ideas can be presented in seven slides or less and can be presented fluently if participants are prepared.

4.?????Be mindful?of your own biases – many times ideas are sold by appealing to management’s known preferences.??Be aware of your triggers and try to be as objective as possible.

5.?????Seek input?from others to get a diverse and even alternative perspectives.??Try to get a 360 view rather than confirmation.??It won’t make the decision process easier, but it reduces the risk of getting blindsided.

6.?????Draw on your own experiences?and don’t be afraid to ask for validation or reassurance, especially when only one viable option is being presented.??With big decisions, going down the “what if” scenarios and identifying potential consequences and responses can be useful, if only as a gauge to determine if the team has thought through the issues well.?

7.?????Focus on execution.??Understand who is going to do what with what help and by when. Test the credibility of assumptions made and ask about the experience of the team leading the effort. Without good execution even the best plans fall short.

8.?????Have a trusted advisor?who you can think through issues with and will tell you what you need to hear versus what you want to hear.

9.?????Don’t be afraid to say no. Leading is often about determining where to apply scarce resources and so even if a case is sound, it doesn’t necessarily mean it should be followed.

10.??Focus on learning?from the outcomes of your decisions and secure assistance from an executive coach or trainer who can work with you to accelerate your development.

The bottom line is decision making is hard, but we do it every day in big ways and small. Like any other skill, however, we can all get better by practice, reflection, and adjustment. All outcomes, whether desired or not, are opportunities for learning and improvement. By adopting a conscious and disciplined approach we can accelerate our development and deliver better outcomes.?

Virun Rampersad is a Certified Executive Coach with over 25 years of senior leadership experience at some of the world's leading institutions. He can be found at https://virunrampersad.com/