MOONLIGHT RIVER

Help making decisions

1- Identify the problem Before you can run out shooting at the wall of decision making, you have to circumscribe exactly what needs to be solved. A judgment can surely be easily made, but it would be nothing short of useless if it didn't answer the right question.
For example, let's say you have been having trouble in the billing department and you decide to change the software at the cost of hundreds of thousands of dollars. If you had dug deeper, you would have realized that it was in fact employees lacking the proper training who were the source of your quandary. So take the time to single out the crisis before you take any action you might regret.

2- Scour for data The second step involves playing detective. You need to collect information on the situation. Pertaining to the example above, hunting for facts would have taken you to the company records where you would have found out that the troubles have begun when the billing department started hiring new employees. This would not have necessarily solved your problem but would have enlightened you toward a smart decision.

3- Establish criteria At this point, you must set up ground rules as to how the problem needs to be solved. What are the factors that will play a significant part in choosing one option over another? The pickle with the billing department is giving you a bad case of insomnia.
Hiring new employees is out of the question since it would take too long to have them familiarize themselves with your complex company. The miracle solution must be implemented before the end of the month, before the stockholders' meeting. It must not cost the business more than $25,000. Setting up these conditions will nudge you in the right direction, narrowing your spectrum.

4- Brainstorm options When a problem arises, it's easy to make up your mind about the first solution that surfaces. The more you think about it, the more you think it's the right thing to do. It's human nature to go the easy route and become adamant about it along the way. But you have to think outside the box and see what other possibilities there could be to solve your problem. Like in an elaborate game of chess, you must foresee outcomes for every possible action, constantly planning many moves ahead.
Perhaps you could get rid of the billing department and contract out the duties to another firm. Acquiring the more user-friendly software, which was proposed to you last month, cannot be an option as it's not compatible with your mainframe. Changing the mainframe? There always are other choices.

5- Seek out opinions Two brains are always better than one. Different people think differently and may have some insight to contribute to the situation. Asking is not a sign of weakness, if anything you'll be regarded as someone who cares about his co-workers. Even if you're the boss, you must realize that a company is not a one-man army. It's an ongoing collective effort built on combined brainpower.
Seek the help of people you trust and whose judgment you value, even if you're the one responsible for the decision when all the chips are down. Ask what others would do, and ask employees of the billing department if they see any way of rectifying the hitch.

6- Evaluate the risks All decisions involve some level of risk-taking. If you opt to take the family to a ballgame, you might miss a career-altering e-mail. Fate is one nasty broad and has very little sympathy. So before you actually go ahead and make the decision, you must evaluate the risks each option leads to.
If you go down the subcontracting path, your unionized employees might very well get angry and go on strike to save jobs. The new software will take some getting used to and setbacks are inevitable. You must be aware of these hazards and be ready to live with whatever they may bring.

7- Make the decision Once you've evaluated the pros and cons, the pluses and minuses, the Yin and Yang, you must make and implement your resolution. Make the arrangements for the billing department to be transferred to a third party, write a detailed memo to explain your course of action to your employees, and ride the storm.
You should have a precise plan and execute every step carefully. You must stand your ground and deal with the consequences, although you may be able to do damage control and reshape your decision if you see things aren't going as they should.

8- Evaluate the results They call it experience because it's a learning opportunity. We praise our successes and gain knowledge from our mistakes, the latter being more easily remembered. How did your decision reap benefits? Was it a total flop? Did you really follow every step of your action plan?

Get feedback from the people who were directly involved in your assessment. Analyze whether given similar circumstances, you would act the same way again. The next time will be that much easier.

posted by LoveisBlue @ 12:03 PM