EXECUTIVES HAVE to deal with a number of strategic choices on a daily basis and take decisions on various issues. However, many professionals lack the ability to take decisions and act upon them. There are ways to improve your decisionmaking skills, says Mahima Puri.
1 Clarity of Purpose The first imperative to improve decision-making skill is to have clarity of purpose and the thought process behind it. Explains K Sudarshan, managing partner, EMA Partners India, “Be clear of what you wish to achieve through the decision and exactly how you want to go about it.”
2 Take Calculated Risks A well-informed and competent professional is expected to take calculated risks. “Ideal circumstances do not exist in the real world. Use both experience and knowledge and weigh all your options before taking a decision,” says N S Rajan, partner and global leader – people and organization, Ernst & Young. This would also help in minimising risks.
3 Avoid Indecision Rajan asserts that indecision may cost an organisation or a professional more than a bad decision. “If you feel there are no choices or solutions to a certain problem, it is not a problem, it’s a fact. There is no point is wasting time on facts. But if there are choices, work upon them before the time runs out.”
4 Empower People Every decision may not be the right one. Rajan says that not only have organisations understood the need to empower people; they are also realising that professionals should be allowed to make mistakes. “There must be room for mistakes, otherwise people won’t learn. At the same time, it is also important that the manager takes a decision within the realm of the organisation's processes,” he adds.
5 Keep People in Loop It usually helps if some colleagues and seniors are kept in the loop while taking decisions. “No body likes surprises, especially if they are not very pleasant ones. Therefore, it is advisable to keep a senior or a colleague in loop, as they may help to rectify your mistakes or improves your decisions at the right time,” says Sudarshan.
(The Economic Times, Mumbai, 17-08-2012)
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