ajcjobs > BlogBreak > Archives > 2007 > July > 16
Monday, July 16, 2007
Just make a decision!
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
A friend recently complained that the biggest challenge she faces in her job is a boss who cannot make decisions. As an “executive” decision maker, when faced with a variety of options, he’s paralyzed and usually resorts to appointing a committee to make the decision for him. The committee meets and meets and dithers and everyone’s time is wasted. This approach will get you just so far before a revolution occurs among the peasants.
Making a decision and living with the results without stalling out or delaying is a tool missing from the tool chest of many managers. How do people get to the point of paralyzed indecisiveness? It’s possibly inexperience or lack of education in effective decision-making. You have reached your level of incompetence. More often it’s fear of repercussions above and below if the wrong decision is made. If your head (or your position) were on the block based on the outcome of your choice of options, wouldn’t you waffle or choose delaying tactics that spread the blame? A supportive supervisor will usually support one or two mistakes but will cut and run if the poor choices continue.
Overcoming the paralysis or dealing with an ineffective decision maker challenges the best of us on the job or at home. How much time and money is wasted on poor decision-making?
Isn’t it annoying when someone just plows ahead, making decisions without thought or justification? Naturalistic decision making or intuition is only worse when they’re always right! If you’re paralyzed in decision-making on the job, does into your daily life - who to marry, what house to buy, when to have kids, latte or chai?
I suppose if you have an MBA you’re probably chuckling and thinking back to Pareto Analysis, Grid Analysis or Cost-Benefit. If you want to forward some tools to your boss or review them yourself, there’s plenty of support out there to help overcome your paralysis.
Are you indecisive or is your manager? Feeling utterly frustrated because you can’t get any answers? Are you or your boss a dare devil risk taker instead?
