RapidKnowHow – How to Drive Smart Decisions

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Hello and Welcome: In this new series of RapidKnowHow we help leaders to learn and apply leadership skills fast and easy

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How do good leaders avoid excessive group harmony?

Good leaders want people to grow and use their potential

They support people telling and defending their opinions

They get people to discuss, evaluate and implement new ideas

Making smart decisions fast in Eight Steps

Source: Harvard Business Press – Making Decisions – Pocket Mentor

The decision-making process consists of eight steps.

Step 1: Setting the stage

Laying the groundwork for successful decision-making

First, determine the participants in the decision-making process

Next, select the decision-making approach. Will you use consensus or vote by majority or another approach?

Then, foster the right climate by encouraging open dialogue by promoting healthy discussions

Step 2: Recognizing Obstacles

Strategies for handling challenges

Anticipate individual biases and group dynamics

Manage group dynamics by making groups and individuals actively shape the decision-making process

Step 3: Framing the Issue at Hand

Advice for identifying an issue’s causes and clarifying objectives and deliverables

Distinguish between symptoms and root causes by performing a root-cause analysis

Articulate and agree on your decision-making objectives and deliverables

Step 4: Generating Alternatives

Develop suggestions for potential actions

After you’ve clarified the issue at hand, brainstorm potential actions

Then generate creative conflict to develop alternative action plans

Get the buy-in and commitment of the group

Step 5: Evaluating Alternatives

Create tactics for the best course of action

Evaluate the feasibility, risk and ethical implications of each possible course of action for the stakeholders

Step 6: Making the Decision

Generating ideas for a final choice

Evaluate your ideas by using the ease of implementation and value-delivered assessment model

Step 7: Communicating the Decision

Suggestions for how to involve and inform stakeholders of the decision

Decide who should be notified of your decision

Communicate your decision through multiple channels

Always evaluate which is the most effective channel for your specific stakeholder group

Step 8: Implementing the Decision

Putting the decision into action

Appoint the project leader

Agree on the task leaders

Draft your project plan

Get approval from your management group

Get started

Conclusion

Throughout the eight-step process for making decisions, you continually assess your decision-making and implementation effectiveness by assessing the quality and timeliness of your deliverables