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    You are here Home » decision making

    8 Ways to Decisively End Indecision

    Last updated on Feb 12, 2015 by Dan McCarthy · This post may contain affiliate links

    Guest post by Scott Mautz:

    In this
    increasingly more with less business world, we can’t afford to let our
    employees be more or less checked out. 
    And yet an astonishing 70% are just that, disengaged at work, according
    to Gallup polls.  It’s almost impossible
    not to disengage when toiling in the paralysis of indecision.  It’s hard to imagine anything more meaning
    and motivation draining, more bereft of a sense of significance, or anything simply
    more frustrating.
     
    Deciding not
    to decide has a price. A big one.
     
    It can
    create doubt, uncertainty, lack of focus, and even resentment.  Multiple options can linger, sapping an
    organization’s energy and killing a sense of completion.  Timelines stretch while costs skyrocket.
     
    But none of
    us are indecisive on purpose.  We’re not
    evil.  Indecision can be borne from a
    pragmatic desire for more data, which when overdone can cross over into
    perfectionism.  Some of us are unwilling
    to compromise until we see an option that contains no trade-offs. The failure
    of a deciding body to feel a sense of accountability can grind things to a
    halt.  Fear of making a wrong decision
    can come into play as well.  We can lose
    sight of what the objective behind a decision is in the first place, confusing
    ourselves in the process and overcomplicating the choice to be made.   Some
    of us lack confidence to make a firm decision.
     
    Whatever the
    cause, the corrosive effect is inescapable. 
    As leaders, we can do better. 
    Here’s how to put an end to indecision, with authority.
     
    1. Meter your emotions
    Sometimes
    our emotions can get in the way of making a decision, causing us to gloss over facts
    right in front of us or creating a desperate search for information to support the
    decision we really want to make. 
    Countering indecision may require accepting inevitabilities much sooner while
    refusing to let emotions cloud the realities at hand.
     
    2. Step back and evaluate the true
    impact of a wrong decision
    Fear of
    making an incorrect decision can paralyze the well-meaning manager.  At such times, step back and ask “What is the
    worst thing that could happen in the long run if this decision turns out to be
    wrong?”  Such a question may unveil that
    the consequences aren’t that dire after all, and may well net much more
    decisiveness. Getting comfortable with the possibility of being wrong can
    actually help the right decisions happen faster.
     
    3. Consider the risks/costs of not doing
    something
    Asking the
    question, “What are the risks/costs of not making a decision?” may create
    awareness of the pitfalls that would otherwise be glossed over.  It may become obvious that budgets will run
    over, competitors will gain precious time for counter plans, or that resources
    will have to be further stretched and kept from working on some other
    priority.
     
    4. Act with self-assurance
    Acting with
    self-confidence and a “you have to break some eggs to make an omelet” mindset
    is one of the greatest enablers for making a decision.  Self-doubt or worrying about what others
    expect you to decide can cripple a decision in progress.  Self-confidence helps bolster the internal
    fortitude to make the tough calls, as well as the external reception of the
    decision once made.  Ever watch someone
    arrive at a decision, but they do so in a manner riddled with visible
    self-doubt?  These are the decisions most
    unlikely to stick.
     
    5. Rediscover the plot
    Sometimes
    simply stepping back and getting some distance from a problem and refreshing
    yourself on the importance or objective of a decision to be made can be
    tremendously helpful.  What seemed like a
    huge call to be made might reorient itself and shrink vastly in size.  Revisiting the objective behind  the decision to be made may provide a useful
    reorientation and illuminate a very clear choice amongst a set of options.  And granting some time, space, and distance
    can help the fog of being too close to clear, making way for a re-energized and
    decisive point of view to emerge.
     
    6. Don’t vacillate in a vacuum, step
    back & seek advice
    Indecision
    can arise from the constant rehashing of the same set of data, input, or
    experiences.  Therefore, indecision can
    be conquered with exposure to new perspective from other stakeholders or from
    someone not as close to the decision. 
    Having someone else to play devil’s advocate, counter your biases, and
    bring different experiences to the table can help break the stalemate.
     
    7. Set time bound parameters for making
    the call
    When left to
    our own device, it is only natural for us to take as much time as we can to
    decide something. Establishing tension in the form of time limitations can help
    stimulate decision making.  Concrete,
    time bound parameters (with some teeth to them) can force the perfectionist or
    those who want it all to compromise and let go a bit.
     
    8. Sharp discussions net sharp decisions
    We’ve all
    been in meetings where a decision is supposed to be made but in fact you are
    left with no sense of tangible forward progress.  The discussion seems circular, someone hijacks
    the meeting and launches into an unfocused or politically motivated soliloquy,
    or everyone and anyone jumps in with points that aren’t even fully on
    topic.  Free-for-alls like this distract
    the decider and throw the decision making process off course.  The deciding manager needs to be prepared to
    run a disciplined and pointed meeting that drives towards a decision by asking
    the right questions, controlling the discussion flow, reigning in where necessary,
    and expanding discussion where appropriate to get all the information, options,
    and points of view out on the table.
     
     
    Scott Mautz is author of Make It Matter: How
    Managers Can Motivate by Creating Meaning (March 4th, 2015), an
    award winning keynote speaker,  and a 20+
    year veteran of Procter & Gamble, having run several thriving,
    multi-billion dollar divisions along the way. 
    Connect with Scott at
    www.makeitmatterbook.com. 
     
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