Based on the entire semesters readings and lessons, what are the most important principles you have learned to become a more effective decisionmaker in your organization?
Over the course of this semester, the materials that we have discussed have enabled me to understand much more about the decision making process than I did before. I learned that it was far too easy to fall into poor decision-making attitudes due to our circumstances, our moods, and our biases. These include anchoring, confirmation, hindsight and Sun-cost effect biases, all of which should be avoided when making a decision, as they will cloud your judgment. In order to make the most effective decisions, a clear head is needed. In the world of business, it is necessary to trust in your coworkers and subordinates, as they can provide a great deal of perspective and insight into your decisions. Their outlook on the matter can help provide you with a comprehensive portrait of the scenario and prevent you from making a bad decision.
Groupthink should be avoided at all costs; it is a pervasive attitude in the work and family environment, and no real decisions get made when it is implemented. It is, instead, best to encourage real discussion and constructive criticism instead of taking every decision at face value. I most especially learned to avoid incomplete thinking and over-inclusive thinking, making sure to parse facts and get the complete picture without overloading myself with information. This would allow me to gain the proper perspective I need in order to make the right decision.
I have learned to be an effective problem finder as well as a problem solver; the best way to prevent a bad decision is to be as informed as possible and see the problem before it becomes one. As a result, I work to know as much as I can about a situation and anticipate issues. I ask questions and encourage honest answers from my coworkers; I make sure they know that it is safe to bring up a trouble issue or problem with me, and it will be dealt with swiftly and without impatience on my part. Making my workplace a welcome environment for constructive criticism is the best thing I can do to make correct decisions and solve problems. I work with my colleagues to create a decision making process that includes them, thus validating their presence in the company and making them more invested in what happens to it.
I attempt to locate and crush the inconsistencies and small slips in organizational decision making that will lead to larger problems in the future, such as important facts not being communicated or a subordinate not being fully informed about his responsibilities and duties. Making sure everyone has a comprehensive view of the problem at hand gives me a more informed staff to bounce ideas off of, and as a result more impartial, unbiased decisions can be reached to a particular problem.
There is no one principle of decision making that I could pin down as a consistent go-to for my decision making process; I attempt to combine all of them into a comprehensive outlook on the way I manage, which allows me to have all of these tools at my disposal. This course has given me an added burst of confidence about my decision making, as I possess this arsenal of decision making tips that will keep me better informed and more communicative with my colleagues.
