Fear of making an unpopular decision is one reason that many managers hold off making a decision. They think if they wait long enough, circumstances will change, making no decision necessary. Other reasons for indecisiveness include:
- Fear of making a wrong decision or a mistake
- Fear of the unknown
- Fear of taking responsibility
These issues are emotional, and they can be overwhelming. Those who suffer from indecisiveness may excuse their behavior by saying, “I wasn’t sure what to do, so I decided to wait,” or, “I need more information,” or, “I thought the boss would make that decision.” Indecisive managers may think that they are explaining away their indecisiveness, but those who work with them soon get wise. Regardless of the consequences, now that you are a manager, if you have to make a decision, then make it. You will make mistakes as everyone does, but you can learn from these. Making no decision is usually worse than any decision you could make—both for the issue under consideration and for your relationship with your employees, colleagues, and manager.
None of this is to suggest that there is no risk associated with decisions. Most involve an element of risk, some more than others. Should risk be a concern, you can reduce it by testing a decision. For example, if a new product has a problem—service difficulties or customer complaints—you can look at some possible solutions and simulate the financial outcomes of each, from holding a customer focus group to redesigning the product from scratch. You can also re- view past precedents. Sometimes, past experience will direct you to the right decision, but other times you may want to set your own course. A previously correct decision may be wrong as times change. If following precedent feels wrong, then it is probably time to innovate.
As you make one decision after another, you will find it easier and easier to make them. You will have staff members and colleagues with which to consult, individuals outside your organization to whom you can also turn, and past experience to rely on. You may turn to one of the problem-solving or decision-making techniques that I’ll discuss later in this chapter, but you may also rely on hunches or intuition—gut feelings.
Experience on the job—solving problems and making decisions—will build your own internal databank of knowledge that will allow you to trust your feelings. Even if you don’t make a decision totally based on intuition, your feelings can help provide you with the basis to start the process. Most experienced managers use a combination of objective analytical tools and intuition for decision making, especially if the cost of a mistake can be high.
Besides, should you need official sanction for a decision, it is better if you can point to evidence to support it. With some decisions, you may need to prepare a report detailing your recommendation and how you reached it. Such a report might have to indicate the nature of the decision but also why the decision is required, who will be involved in implementation, and when the implementation will take place.
Where a decision is made to address a major problem, particularly one impacting the organization as a whole, such a report will be a necessity to impress management to move on your recommendation.