All businesses, organizations and managers are faced with dilemmas daily. These challenges, obstacles and problems require decisiveness. Immediate decisions are often necessary, often without complete information. Long-term solutions are also needed. But upon which methodology are these critical decisions to be made?
First off, decisions need to be made outside of the daily flow of emotions, assumptions and biases that may be present in the workplace. Though most would probably say that they do not succumb to any of these just to be sure it is a good exercise to take stock of oneself in this respect. Due to the subjective nature of these impediments to clear decision-making it is a good idea to survey others openly with respect to their impressions. Include peers and superiors rather than subordinates and a clear picture will emerge.
The methodology whereby decisions are made needs to agree with the nature of the problem, the make-up of the participants involved in the decision-making process and their individual characteristics. A more pin-pointed approach could work well in an operational setting while a more open-ended process would be more fitting to a research and development setting, for example.
Brainstorming is one technique in which we can allow our thoughts to drift and flow from one to the next regardless of their association with the previous one or the next. This is a creative approach. Starbursting is similarly creative in that while it does focus on a topic it allows for questions to be asked outward and openly without a prerequisite for their being raised. Pareto analysis is more restrictive and focused. It requires a set of data which is tested and pared down in order to reach a conclusion.
The best decision-making model may not always be evident on the surface. But examine the problem, the involved stakeholders and the environment and the best one will become more apparent.
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