Question: Decisions, why do we need them?
Answer: To know what to do; when, where and how to do it; and by who.
But who makes them? Everybody makes decisions everyday, all the time, about what to eat, what to do at the weekend, and decisions regarding work. Work decisions are made at all levels of an organisation and can influence time, cost, and quality and may contribute to failure or success.
Decisions are not the prerogative of managers; their decisions are interpreted and executed, and subsequent decisions are made that all affect an organisation’s performance. Everybody has responsibility for their decisions, but when does that responsibility become leadership?
Douglas MacArthur said, “a true leader has the confidence to stand alone, the courage to make tough decisions, and the compassion to listen to the needs of others“.
Tough Decisions & Fear
What is a tough decision? There are several criteria: (1) when the decision is above your pay scale; (2) you have limited information and must rely on intuition; (3) you should ask others for help but know you won’t get an answer. It’s also tough knowing that a decision MUST be made and knowing that ‘indecision’ will leave the organisation floundering and leaderless. You may be damned if you decide to make the decision and, just as likely, damned if you don’t; the proverbial rock and a hard place.
Indecision results from procrastinating, hoping for divine intervention or that somebody else will take on responsibility, or just keeping your fingers crossed. ‘Indecision’ is doing nothing and basking in the inaction of blaming others and making excuses. Decisions do not have to be gung-ho battle cries of ‘Charge’ or ‘Banzai’ with the William Tell overture in the background. A conscious decision can be to do nothing, or even surrender; but in any event any decision must be decisive.
Decisions are based upon information coupled with knowledge and experience balanced on a fulcrum of judgement. Information is never complete and all decisions involve some risk due to guesswork (assumptions) and intuition is required. But, relying on intuition can be frightening and any resultant fear leads to panic, more fear, and greater risk of indecision.
Courage
“Fear is a reaction, courage is a decision” said Churchill. Making a decision means deciding to overcome the fear of being blamed for a wrong decision and dealing with the fallout. The ego of individuals can obstruct decisions and fear of failure complicates decision making. The risk of indecision and suboptimal decisions increases, but, in an environment of trust and openness, courage may be cultivated, and egos kept in check.
Courage, a.k.a. “well disguised fear”, is not being afraid to ask for forgiveness and not waiting to seek permission. Decisions should be made by people on the ground and timeliness can be imperative; “he who hesitates is lost” is proverb worth remembering. ‘Seeking permission’ may comply with the rules but in hindsight will oftentimes seen to be wrong. When time is of the essence a slow decision is no decision; “rules are for obeyance of fools and the guidance of wise men” as Harry Day believed in WWII.
President Truman realised the importance of decisions and responsibility. “The buck stops here” was the sign on his Oval Office desk reminding everybody of his position. Leaders are responsible for both their own decisions and their subordinates’; right or wrong. Leaders deal with all decisions from good to bad; taking on leadership itself is a tough decision.
Any Decision in a Storm
“Any port in a storm” goes the saying and, just as sagely, “almost any decision is better than no decision“. Decisions need to be good, not necessarily right; and a good wrong decision, like any rule, can be broken and made right.
A wrong decision followed blindly is a ‘bad decision’ and may well lead to failure. Decisions need to be monitored and controlled until they are seen to be right; and decisions, as with any effective communication, require feedback.
The problem with a wrong decision is with the ego of the decision maker and subservience of the follower. Resultant posturing, gratuitous blame, vindictive and vexatious witch hunts, embellishment of the pros, and camouflage of the cons; result in a ‘cover up’. Egos get in the way of making a wrong decision ‘right’, they delay the correction process and a lesson in swallowing one’s pride is a useful habit to develop (it doesn’t hurt).
Good Decisions
Good decisions make for effective leadership at all levels. Overcoming the fear of making a wrong decision is courage at a personal and organisational level. But real courage in decision making comes from endorsing all decisions, right or wrong, and learning from making wrong decisions right.
Leaders exist at all levels in an organisation and all exercise degrees of courage when making their decisions. Ignoring decision-making is indecision and without decisions there is ineffective leadership and chaos.
Shakespeare’s Hamlet, said “To be, or not to be? That is the question” when considering his own suicide. However, when considering the leadership of an organisation could that soliloquy be; “Decisions or Indecision?
Bio:
UK Chartered Engineer & Chartered Geologist with over thirty-five years’ international experience in multicultural environments on large multidisciplinary infrastructure projects including rail, metro, hydro, airports, tunnels, roads and bridges. Skills include project management, contract administration & procurement, and design & construction management skills as Client, Consultant, and Contractor.
Provision of incisive, focused and effective technical and managerial solutions for all project phases; identifying and dealing with troubled projects, and leading project recovery and change through hands-on interaction.