#318: The 4 methods of decision making

Every problem needs a decision, but how it's made can differ. There are three phases in making these decisions!

When it comes to decision-making, what method do you use? Do you make every decision alone, or do you like your management team to vote?

Once you identify an issue, there are three phases that you must go through once you have collected the data to analyze it.

Phase 1 - Collaboration, Who will help make this decision?

How you will make a decision, based on all the information you now have. If you don’t spell this out before your discussion, choosing how to decide will be another crucial conversation. So when you’re deciding how to decide, consider these aspects:

• Who wants to be involved in the decision,

• Who should be involved in the decision,

• How many people should be involved in the decision, and

• What levels of authority need to be involved in the decision?

This phase is essential for many reasons. Later on, when you try to implement and execute this decision, who will you need on your team to help sell it? If this is a widespread issue, you may need consensus from your leadership team so they can take ownership of this.

Also crucial in this phase is determining whose input is valuable to this decision. We wrote last week about having an inner circle. Maybe one or more of that group will give you incite from a different point of view.

You may also find that one of your team doesn’t want any part of the decision for whatever reasons. Respect that, and assume they will also support whatever that decision is.

Take those four questions into your leadership meeting and ask them their opinions on it as well. Then, announce who will be part of the decision team.

Phase 2 - Definition, Who makes the action decision?

Then choose one of the four possible methods of making a decision:

• Command – a person in authority (the boss, parent, or someone assigned to this specific task) makes the decision

• Consult – the decision maker(s) consult with stakeholders, experts, etc., and then decide, considering all the inputs.

• Vote – the team talks everything over and then votes

• Consensus – everyone discusses until an agreement is reached

You, as the leader, can be part of the decision-making team, or you can delegate that responsibility to bring a decision to you. The team needs to understand that the final yes, no, or status quo decision will be made in one of these ways.

Someone on the team in the collaboration phase may feel that their actual agreement to the decision is needed. But you may choose to make an autocratic decision once they explain their case. If this is the case, your team could feel undermined or not truly part of the vote. This, too, must be transparent to the team. In the end, will the buck stop with you, or will you search for consensus or a vote? Remember should you choose anything other than command, you must respect the team's wishes.

Phase 3 - Execution, Who does what and when, a step often missed

Then, once the decision is made, you need to create an action plan that spells out the details of each activity required to bring about the result. Unfortunately, many teams are so relieved to have decided that they failed to complete this step or they didn’t make their plan specific enough to generate the desired result.

Make sure your plan includes this information:

• Who is responsible?

• What exactly do they need to do?

• What are the key dates and deadlines?

• What is the follow-up/accountability process?

As Chapter 1 in my book kick’s off - the 5 P’s come into play. Those being proper planning prevents poor performance. When that decision is made, set up a project manager and define things. Use the three C’s of accountability, Clarity, Commitment, and Consequences to manage and create expectations.

As a leader, you don’t have to be on an island. If they add value, you can bring people in and out of your decision-making process. By not making all the decisions alone, you also add value to your team, which is your obligation as a leader.

You know the drill; today’s hard work will lead to a better tomorrow! If you want an outsider’s view of your process, contact us at the Kole Performance Group and schedule a 30-minute free consultation!