AT Central Communications we are in decision making mode every day. As a company, we are tasked with making decisions for our own business and personnel. We are also put in situations where we sometimes need to make decisions concerning situations which involve the companies we work for. For the most part we try to work things out in advance, but every so often a situation arises that no one predicted before hand and we have to make decisions based upon our history with that company.
There are some people who make decisions at the snap of a finger, and there are some who deliberate eevery aspect of a problem until the cows come home. We can’t afford to be either one of those people, no matter what our personal inclinations are.
We have found the best way to make decisions is to gather as much information as you can. Consider possible outcomes. Then weigh the options and pick the best ones for the moment. If this is a situation which requires input from the customer, then our first decision is always to contact that customer and solicit input from them. Sometimes it calls for us to hand over the problem and let them make the decision. Other times we get the customers input and handle the problem with their guidance.
Here at Central Communications, we know our own culture so in the event of an urgent situation, we are unafraid to take responsibility and step up to make a decision if management is unavailable.
“Before you start making decisions about a problem; it’s best to examine the problem itself. All too often, poor managers and leaders make decisions but about the wrong things.
For example; your team aren’t performing as well as you would like. It’s very easy to assume that the fault lays with the team and thus start on a decision making process regarding motivating or upskilling the team. Training or discipline?
But what if the reason for their lack of productivity has nothing to do with the team? What if it’s down to the heat of the office? Or a shortage of parts for their work? Or any of a hundred other things?
There’s a simple technique to getting to the underlying problem. Ask “Why?” and keep asking it until you’ve reached a point that you can’t go beyond (you may have to hunt for answers to some “why?” questions – you won’t always have the answers to hand).
There are more pressing decisions that have to be made which don’t allow time for as much study, such as in a Medical Emergency for one of our Physicians’ patients. In those instances it is up to us to find the physician and notify him or her in the most expeditious manner available to us. Sometimes it calls for finding their back up Physician.
Decisions are a critical part of life, no matter the profession. Sometimes rehearsing scenarios will help, other times it’s good sense and experience.
Central Comm