Decision Making and Problem Solving Strategies by John Adair

Author:John Adair
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Kogan Page Publishers

Have you tested for consensus to see how far, in the circumstances, a course of action you favour is seen to be the optimum one?

Have you secured everyone’s commitment to make it work?

Have you reviewed the decision with the team so that the lessons of success and failure are learnt for the future?

Key points

Thinking is both solitary and social. We need to think for ourselves – and make time to do so. But we also need to talk with and listen to others, for stimulus and encouragement, fresh perspectives and new ideas. Conversation at its best is a form of mutual thinking.

The role of a leader is defined by the three circles of need – task, team and individual – and the responding set of functions. Communication and decision making are complementary dimensions. A key issue for all leaders is how far they should share decisions with their team or colleagues.

The more you share decisions the higher the quality of the decision is likely to be. Moreover, the more that people share decisions which directly affect their working life, the more they tend to be motivated to implement them. Yet the exigency of the situation – shortage of time and the crisis factor – sometimes restricts the scope for sharing. And you also have to remember that the more you share a decision the less control you have over the resulting decision’s quality and direction. So you need judgement here.

When the decision-making process is over, you still have to take the decision.

Outside the confines of the making of a particular decision you should always be open to the ideas, suggestions and information that people offer you. The more you show interest, the more that people will tell you. Ten per cent of their ideas are lined with gold.

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