Are You a Good Decision Maker?

A manager we are coaching told us that they had been researching buying new software for their organization for close to two years. This leader was highly analytical and did not want to make the decision until he was confident this would be a perfect decision and everyone would be happy with the new software. This leader had several changes with their decision making skills. First, no software purchase and implementation decision is ever perfect. Whatever software you select has its upside and it has its challenges. Second, anytime you implement a new software, the chances of everyone being happy is highly unlikely. So knowing that making a perfect decision is like reaching for the unreachable star, how can leaders find a balance between great decisions, and avoiding bad decisions with serious consequences? Here are 8 tips to factor into your decision making process. 

Be Aware of Unconscious Biases

Although most leaders don’t like to admit it, they all have unconscious biases towards situations and about people that can affect their decisions. Easy examples of biases to be aware include, for instance, race and gender.  Some less obvious biases include appearance, nationality, and religion. There are probably 100 things I have unconscious biases towards that I am not aware of. The more you are aware of your unconscious biases, the less likely they are to impact your ability to make good decisions. 

Select Strong Team Members

Strong team members are willing to tell you the truth, and will challenge and question the validity of your decisions and recommendations.  Weak team members, or “yes” people who are fearful of losing their jobs, have no ability to stand up to a forceful boss and challenge the validity of their decisions. A strong team of individuals who think differently and independently will, ultimately, lead to better decisions and fewer mistakes.

Reward People Who Challenge Your Decisions

Great leaders are confident in their ability to make good decisions. Competence enables these leaders to solicit different opinions, engage in dialogue, and make the best possible decisions based on the information they’ve gathered. These leaders reward the people who are willing to step up and challenge the decision making process, and recognize their team members for contributing to a successful decision.

Heightened EQ Awareness

Some people will be quick to tell you that emotions should not be factored into the decision making process. I disagree – emotions absolutely need to be considered. Our emotions can make us believe we are right when, in fact, we are really wrong. It’s important for leaders to have a heightened awareness of their EQ, or emotional intelligence. The more you understand and are willing to accept yourself, your strengths and your weaknesses, and the value that others can contribute to your success as a leader, the better your chances are of making sound decisions that are not impeded by your emotions.

Seek Out New Experiences

New experiences help people think differently. When people think differently, they are able to consider more options and alternatives in their decision making process.  In the infancy of social media, I fought the process. After utilizing social media and the different mediums available, I became a strong supporter of these new technologies. If I hadn’t decided to experience it, it would have been difficult for me to support and see the benefits of this new way of doing business.

Make the Decision

The downfall of a decision isn’t always the decision itself, but the failure to actually make a decision. You have to have the guts to make a decision, even in instances where you don’t have 100% of the information.  Be cautious of analysis paralysis, and make the best decision possible with the information you have at hand.

Postmortem

Bad decisions will happen, and I don’t recommend beating up bad decisions or dwelling on them indefinitely. However, it’s important to review the decision making process and look for ways to improve it. Develop a list of actions to determine what you can do differently next time you’re in the same situation to make a better decision.

Have a Backup Plan

The real test of great leadership is determined by how a leader responds when they realize they’ve made the wrong decision, and what actions they take. Great leaders know that even the best plans can go awry, and they always have a contingency plan to fall back on. The ability to recognize a problem and say, “Hey, no problem, I have a backup plan,” is what differentiates great leaders.

Mistakes and bad decisions are unavoidable facts of life, not just leadership. Leaders make decisions on a daily basis, and your ability to practice sound decision making strategies and respond appropriately when bad decisions inevitably do happen will set you apart as a great leader, and help you avoid making bad decisions that are beyond repair.