MAKE GOOD DECISIONS
WHY IT MATTERS
The success of any organization is driven to a large degree on the correct or incorrect decisions of its leaders. When it comes to any key organizational component, be it strategy, marketing, human resources, operations, research and development, etc., the leader’s ability to make the right decision can bring lasting success and the wrong decision can bring irrecoverable disaster. Leaders that make good decisions put their organization on the right course. They know they can’t be perfect, but more often than not leaders make choices that prove correct over time. Leaders that make poor decisions ultimately drive the organization into error and obscurity as they make one costly mistake after another.
WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE
Leaders that make good decisions know the final responsibility for all decision-making falls at their door. They respect the trust that is placed in them to make the right decision when it matters most. They know one decision can define their legacy and be the difference between propelling the organization forward or putting it in a hole. They approach decision making courageously but cautiously.
Leaders that make good decisions follow a decision-making protocol. They do more than just trust their gut instincts. They approach decision making in an organized and strategic manner.
Leaders that make good decisions know the hardest task in decision-making is correctly defining the question they are trying to answer. They don’t start answering a question until they are certain they have defined it from every angle.
Leaders that make good decisions refuse to make decisions in a silo. They gather smart people around them to help them get it right. They surround themselves with confidants with different experiences, divergent perspectives, and unique insights that could prove pivotal to their reasoning.
Leaders that make good decisions rely heavily on data. They obtain concrete data that can lend insight into which decisions will most likely prove correct over time. They also use data to track their results and learn if their decisions are correct.
Leaders that make good decisions can judge which decisions require a heavy investment of time and energy and which decisions have lesser consequence. They never approach decision-making the same way twice. They tailor their decision-making approach and investment based on the need.
Leaders that make good decisions carefully analyze the impact their decisions will have on others, and plan accordingly. They recognize that sometimes decisions do go wrong, and put in place contingency plans to remedy potential fallout.
Leaders that make good decisions act ethically. They never trade the long-term consequences of unethical behavior for quick short-term wins. They expect themselves to be perfectly honest in the decisions they make and the way they are executed.
BELIEFS
SELF-REFLECTION
WORDS OF CAUTION
The success of any organization is driven to a large degree on the correct or incorrect decisions of its leaders. When it comes to any key organizational component, be it strategy, marketing, human resources, operations, research and development, etc., the leader’s ability to make the right decision can bring lasting success and the wrong decision can bring irrecoverable disaster. Leaders that make good decisions put their organization on the right course. They know they can’t be perfect, but more often than not leaders make choices that prove correct over time. Leaders that make poor decisions ultimately drive the organization into error and obscurity as they make one costly mistake after another.
WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE
Leaders that make good decisions know the final responsibility for all decision-making falls at their door. They respect the trust that is placed in them to make the right decision when it matters most. They know one decision can define their legacy and be the difference between propelling the organization forward or putting it in a hole. They approach decision making courageously but cautiously.
Leaders that make good decisions follow a decision-making protocol. They do more than just trust their gut instincts. They approach decision making in an organized and strategic manner.
Leaders that make good decisions know the hardest task in decision-making is correctly defining the question they are trying to answer. They don’t start answering a question until they are certain they have defined it from every angle.
Leaders that make good decisions refuse to make decisions in a silo. They gather smart people around them to help them get it right. They surround themselves with confidants with different experiences, divergent perspectives, and unique insights that could prove pivotal to their reasoning.
Leaders that make good decisions rely heavily on data. They obtain concrete data that can lend insight into which decisions will most likely prove correct over time. They also use data to track their results and learn if their decisions are correct.
Leaders that make good decisions can judge which decisions require a heavy investment of time and energy and which decisions have lesser consequence. They never approach decision-making the same way twice. They tailor their decision-making approach and investment based on the need.
Leaders that make good decisions carefully analyze the impact their decisions will have on others, and plan accordingly. They recognize that sometimes decisions do go wrong, and put in place contingency plans to remedy potential fallout.
Leaders that make good decisions act ethically. They never trade the long-term consequences of unethical behavior for quick short-term wins. They expect themselves to be perfectly honest in the decisions they make and the way they are executed.
BELIEFS
- You can’t answer a question until you are certain you understand it and have defined it fully.
- Rarely do complex questions have a single correct answer. You have to choose the best answer you can.
- Set your sights on identifying every possible correct answer to a question, not just the first one you find.
- There are no short cuts to good decision-making. You have to put in the hard work and investment.
- Decision making isn’t about gut instincts, it is about data and mastering and correctly applying a decision-making protocol.
- The only thing worse than making a wrong decision is refusing to change a decision once you realize it is wrong.
- You either work hard to make the right decision or you work hard to fix a bad one.
- You should never make decisions alone. The more people you have helping you the more likely you are to get it right.
- Understand questions before solving them.
- Have a back-up plan if decisions go wrong.
- Be willing to take calculated risks.
- Rely on data to guide your thinking.
- Follow through on the decisions you make.
- Change your decisions when needed.
- Acknowledge the risks your decisions carry.
- Know how to prioritize decisions.
- Use a decision-making protocol.
- Know what data is relevant and what isn’t.
- Use data to prove decisions correct.
- Analyze all options before choosing one.
- Search for all possible answers, not just one.
- Apply the lessons of the past to the present.
- Don’t invest in questions that don’t matter.
- Base your decisions on facts, not just instincts.
- Know decision-making best practices.
- Analyze a decision’s long-term impact.
- Act ethically in all your decision making.
- Study the potential impact of decisions.
- Admit when you make the wrong decisions.
- Recruit help to make decisions.
SELF-REFLECTION
- Do I rely on other people to help me make the right decisions, or do I make decisions in a silo?
- Do I accept responsibility for my decisions, or do I try and push that responsibility onto others?
- Do I follow a decision-making protocol, or do I rely too much on my “gut” instincts alone?
- Do I use data to inform my decisions, or do I fail to use data to help me make the best decisions?
- Do I analyze the effects of my decisions on others, or do I fail to see the far-reaching impacts of my decisions?
- Do I act ethically in my decision making at all times, or do I act unethically for personal gain?
- Do I take the time to make sure I get decisions right, or do I act too quickly or prematurely?
- Do I change my decisions if I see they were wrong, or do I stubbornly stick to the decisions I make?
WORDS OF CAUTION
- Don’t be so confident in your ability to make correct decisions you start relying too much on your natural intuition alone.
- Don’t be so paranoid about making the wrong decision you take too long and invest too many resources in getting it right.
- Don’t hoard decisions because you are too afraid of allowing other people to make them and make potential mistakes.
- I never make hasty decisions.
- I have a system for gathering data before I make a decision.
- I use knowledge over instinct when making a decision.
- I have to understand every aspect of a problem before deciding on a solution.
- Some decisions are made quickly while others are made slow.
- Facts are more helpful than emotions.