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Decision making is an essential leadership skill. If you can learn how to make timely, well-considered decisions, then you can lead your team to well-deserved success. If, however, you make poor decisions, your time as a leader will be brutally short.
Allo% opinions to be hear# - !ncourage artici ants to contribute to the discussions- debates- and analysis without any fear of rejection from the grou . This is one of the best ways to avoi# groupthink. The $tepla##er &echnique is a useful method for gradually introducing more and more eo le to the grou discussion- and making sure everyone is heard. 0lso- recogni1e that the objective is to make the best decision under the circumstances2 it's not a game in which eo le are com eting to have their own referred alternatives ado ted. "ake sure you're asking the right question - 0sk yourself whether this is really the true issue. The ( )hys techni"ue is a classic tool that hel s you identify the real underlying roblem that you face. Use creativity tools *rom the start - The basis of creativity is thinking from a different ers ective. Do this when you first set out the roblem- and then continue it while generating alternatives. 3ur article +enerating ,e% I#eas will hel you create new connections in your mind- break old thought atterns- and consider new ers ectives.
-rainstorming is robably the most o ular method of generating ideas. 0nother a roach- .everse -rainstorming- works similarly. 4owever- it starts by asking eo le to brainstorm how to achieve the o osite outcome from the one wanted- and then reversing these actions. The Charette /roce#ure is a systematic rocess for gathering and develo ing ideas from very many stakeholders. 5se the Cra%*or# $lip )riting &echnique to generate ideas from a large number of eo le. This is an e)tremely effective way to make sure that everyone's ideas are heard and given e"ual weight- irres ective of the erson's osition or ower within the organi1ation. Consi#ering 0i**erent /erspectives The .e*raming "atrix uses * 6s 7 roduct- lanning- otential- and eo le8 as the basis for gathering different ers ectives. You can also ask outsiders to join the discussion- or ask e)isting artici ants to ado t different functional ers ectives 7for e)am le- have a marketing erson s eak from the view oint of a financial manager8. #f you have very few o tions- or an unsatisfactory alternative- use a Concept 1an to take a ste back from the roblem- and a roach it from a wider ers ective. This often hel s when the eo le involved in the decision are too close to the roblem. Appreciative Inquiry forces you to look at the roblem based on what's 9going right-' rather than what's 9going wrong.' 2rgani3ing I#eas This is es ecially hel ful when you have a large number of ideas. :ometimes se arate ideas can be combined into one com rehensive alternative.
5se A**inity 0iagrams to organi1e ideas into common themes and grou ings.
$ix &hinking Hats hel s you evaluate the conse"uences of a decision by looking at the alternatives from si) different ers ectives. Impact Analysis is a useful techni"ue for brainstorming the 9une) ected' conse"uences that may arise from a decision. Vali#ation Determine if resources are ade"uate- if the solution matches your objectives- and if the decision is likely to work in the long term.
$tarbursting hel s you think about the "uestions you should ask to evaluate an alternative ro erly. To assess ros and cons of each o tion- use 1orce 1iel# Analysis- or use the /lus-"inusInteresting a roach. Cost--ene*it Analysis looks at the financial feasibility of an alternative. 3ur -ite-$i3e# &raining session on /roject Evaluation an# 1inancial 1orecasting hel s you evaluate each alternative using the most o ular financial evaluation techni"ues.
.ey 6oints
0n organi1ed and systematic decision-making rocess usually leads to better decisions. /ithout a well-defined rocess- you risk making decisions that are based on insufficient information and analysis. Many variables affect the final im act of your decision. 4owever- if you establish strong foundations for decision making- generate good alternatives- evaluate these alternatives rigorously- and then check your decision-making rocess- you will im rove the "uality of your decisions.