Effective Decision-Making: Strategies, Models, and Overcoming Barriers
Effective Decision-Making: A Comprehensive Approach
Decision-making is the process during which a person must choose between one or several alternatives. In the administrative process, it begins in the first stage, which is forecasting. In the employment context, the manager is the key person in relation to decision-making. She is the one who usually makes decisions or guides them to be taken. The administrative process is the way in which the administration is carried out, and its first stage is forecasting, which implies anticipation, looking to the future in terms of a project or ideas.
While we start to learn how and practice decision-making skills as a child, the process of good decision-making becomes more important during adolescence and young adulthood. The decisions made as individuals get older may impact the rest of their lifetime. The consequences of bad decisions can adversely change the course of their life, or of their family’s lives.
Qualities and Aptitudes for the Manager Who Makes Decisions
The first quality and aptitude that a manager must have to make a decision is to be apt, that is, having the minimum essential knowledge about what to decide. This quality is summarized in four aspects: experience, good judgment, creativity, and skills. Quantitative skills together provide the tools and skills required for an efficient manager.
Decision-Making and Problem Solving
Decision-making and problem-solving are closely linked. Making a decision is an integral part of the problem-solving process. The decision is the “result” or “action”.
How to Research Each Option
To research your options means to list the pros and cons of each choice, the advantages and disadvantages. You will need to weigh the good things against the bad things of each choice. Sometimes you simply need to gather more information before making a decision. Investigate. Explore. Ask advice.
How to Identify Options
Identifying options means brainstorming all the different choices you have. The individual who has not reached the stage of formal operational thinking may find it difficult to identify options that they haven’t had personal experience with.
Good Decision-Making is Learned
To make good decisions, you must use good judgment. That means you must understand the possible consequences of your choice. It is a parent’s job to use their judgment until you have proven that you have good judgment. You have to learn good decision-making skills. This scenario creates a natural “struggle” between parent and child. The child struggles to make independent decisions, while the parents must exercise control while the child matures and as long as they are liable for the consequences of the decision.
The more important the decision is, the more critical the thinking should be. Determine the importance of a decision by the term of the consequences. If the consequences of your decision are long-term, then spend more time on the process and follow each step of decision-making carefully.
Personal decision framework: situation (programmed/non-programmed; classical, administrative, political; decision steps) personal decision style (directive used by people who prefer simple, clear-cut solutions; analytical used by managers who like to consider complex solutions based on as much data as they can gather; conceptual used by people who like to consider a broad amount of information, more socially oriented; behavioral often the style adopted by managers having a deep concern for others) decision choice: best solution to problem.
Types of Decisions
Programmed decisions are situations that occur often enough to enable decision rules to be developed. Non-programmed decisions are made in response to situations that are unique, poorly defined, and largely unstructured, and may involve strategic planning.
Programmed and Non-Programmed Decision Differences
Barriers to Proper Decision-Making
Ignorance of the subject. Ignorance about what will be decided; Not applying or not respecting the decision-making process, or breaking any step of said process; Make the decision irrationally; Psychological prejudices. These can be classified into a) Illusion of control. Believe that you can influence situations even if you don’t have control over what will happen b) Centralism. Wanting to control everything. c) Subjective evaluation of objective facts; Perspective effects; Lack of objectivity. The information is not adequate, or the information is evaluated and applied subjectively; Dismissing the future. It must be paid for in the long and short terms; Time pressures. This implies both a hasty decision and a delay in deciding.
7 Steps to Assure a Basic Decision-Making Process
Define the problem, identify the decision to be made, identify options/choices, research info on each option, make the decision, act on the decision, and evaluate the decision.
Six Steps in the Managerial Decision-Making Process
What are the Diagnosis Questions Kepner and Tregoe?
What is the state of disequilibrium affecting us? When did it occur? Where did it occur? How did it occur? To whom did it occur? What is the urgency of the problem? What is the interconnectedness of events? What result came from what activity?
Participation in Decision-Making (Working with Subordinates)
Vroom-Jago Model: Helps gauge the appropriate amount of participation for subordinates.
Leader Participation tips: Participation in decision-making ranging from highly autocratic to highly democratic. Five tips available, depending on the situation.
Diagnostic Questions: Decision participation depends on a number of situational factors. Questions deal with the problem, the required level of decision quality, and the importance of having subordinates commit to the decision.
Work in a Group for Decision-Making
There are advantages of working in a group to make decisions, whether that is a group of 2 or 10. You might be able to identify more options than you could have discovered on your own. The disadvantage of working in a group to make decisions is that you may all have different opinions of what the right option will be.
Avoid Procrastinating for Decision-Making
Procrastinate means to “put things off” until another time. Procrastination stands in the way of researching goals. Procrastination makes your image as a leader weak.
3, 2, 1 Action
Again, don’t procrastinate. Once you’ve narrowed your options down to the best one, take action. After you’ve made your decision and taken action, evaluate that decision. Human beings learn from their mistakes.