Making even better decisions
Whether they realise it or not, people who make decisions (Deciders) are seeking to take advantage of an opportunity to achieve a beneficial outcome. They might also want to avoid something that is undesirable.
Whether an outcome is beneficial depends on their organisation’s Purpose (or for personal decisions, their own Purpose). If they are not clear on Purpose, Deciders have no frame of reference.
Invariably though, decision-makers cannot be absolutely certain that their decision will deliver the outcomes they desire. Instead, they must be sufficiently certain that what they intend will be what actually happens. Obviously, the more important the decision – i.e., the greater the contribution to purpose – the greater the level of certainty that will be needed.
So, deciding involves:
- recognising how and where uncertainty exists – both in the present and over the life of the decision; and
- understanding the magnitude and importance of each uncertainty.
When they understand this, the Decider can either adjust uncertainty or allow for it in the decision–until they are sufficiently certain about the outcomes it will deliver.
But how do Deciders do that?
Well, actually, by doing what they already do – but, sometimes, by doing it even better.
This is because all Deciders use the same method for making decisions, whether or not they are aware of doing so. Achieving a sufficient level of certainty therefore requires a Decider to:
- understand the elements of this universal method of decision making ;
- be actively aware of it while deciding; and
- be sufficiently skilled in the execution of its elements.
A general diagnostic tool is provided here that organisations can use to usefully indicate both the state of decision-making in general and provide a focus for efforts to improve.
The book , Deciding, is aimed at all types of Deciders, from the board room to the work site, from the battlefield to the playing field. Using plain language it explains the universal decision-making method and how to excel in its application.
Note: Publication of Deciding coincided with the savage emergence of the global COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic. This is a crisis that has inverted normality and requires urgent, creative and hugely important decision-making. Whether Deciders responding to COVID-19 are doing so at the personal, organisational or governmental level, Deciding will help them make even better decisions during the crisis, and beyond.