· Find the right problem-
Once in our company; there was a great fall in customer demand chart. For a long time we worked on our product to find the loop hole. We made many changes in our product but it did not make a great change in the customer demand. Then we consider the HR department and found that our customer representatives were not so much expert that they can provide good service to our customers which was the reason behind the fall of customer demand.
So, finding the main problem and reason behind this problem is itself a tough job. Pointing the gap between where you are and where you want to be is half solution of the problem because the answer of these questions helps you to focus on solving the main problem.
· Consider all possible solutions-
Generally, we pay a high price for the following two mistakes:
- While making a decision we don’t consider enough alternatives.
- We don’t evaluate the ideas on proper evidences.
It’s better to find the best with in many options instead of choosing the single option. A problem can be solved in many ways but to find the best way to solve the problem is the considering point. Generate as many solutions as you can before taking any decision. Go for brainstorming, bench marking or any survey. Evaluate each available options based on what’s good and what’s bad about it.
· Evaluate your idea on different theories-
There are different theories we have to evaluate our ideas like; Grid analysis, Decision Trees, Conjoint Analysis, The Future Wheel, etc. you can choose any theory according to your requirements.
· Involve people with different perspective-
Don’t be defensive to listen the views of other’s. Open your mind and ears for different perspective views. The new ways of looking a problem in different way can provide you something better. Listen, think and then test the ideas of other people before taking any decision towards those ideas.
· Ask as many questions as you can-
The best decision is always based on best information and the best information can be collected by best questions. Try to solve all the queries you have in the path to solve the problem. Always discuss the pros and cons of the answer you got against your question. Try to make a chain of questions which can provide you an organized model to you and to your people also.
· Resolve you personal decision making biases-
Every person has one or many weak points which force him to bias the options he has. So find out about yourself. Are you an emotional one or logical? Do you go with facts or with theories? Are you a number person or a big picture person? Do you want a temporary change or a long term solution? You can improve your decisions by recognizing the personality behind them.
· Learn from experience-
Go to the previous decision you made in past. Recall what you did best? The way you got success by applying your decision, the mistakes you made mostly and how did these mistakes affect the decisions’ results? Thinking over these points will provide you a chart for do’s and don’ts.
· Don’t be tempted towards yesterday’s solutions-
This is the human nature that he develops a pattern of looking at a concept or a thing. Because of that pattern whenever a problem seems similar to one we faced in the past, we like to follow the same way to handle it as before. But the changes occur to fast. We should not stick to the same pattern, as there may be technical change or many other changes which can provide us easiest or simplest way to solve the same problem.
· Follow win-win approach-
What you will think for others, they will give you in the same way. So while evaluating any idea go with that which can provide much value to every concerned. If you help other to win they will also help you to get success.
· Consult individuals who will be affected by decision-
No matter how good your decision is, if employees find it worthless or undermine it. The people who are going to work on the decision are the key persons to guide you about the solution. Because they know each and every point so they can help you to make a decision. Sometimes they can provide you such a great solutions that you never imagined. So always consider the individuals who are going to work on or who are going to be affected by the decision you will take.
· Go with satisfaction instead of optimization-
Go with best instead of searching the perfect one. Take satisfying decision instead of optimizing. An optimizing decision maker always search for perfection and wait too long to decide, which sometimes don’t work as perfectly as it should do. In contrast, the satisfaction decision maker knows that nothing is perfect in this imperfect world. So he tries to find the best out of what he has. Optimizer never adopts changes in comparison to satisfiers.
· Evaluate your final decision-
There are pros and cons of everything. This may be possible that what you think is best for one can be worse for something else. Before going to any decision, consider all the consequences with that idea. Calculate the benefits and worst effects of the decision before implementing it.
· Be ready with the reasoning behind the decision-
Your decision will affect the people directly as well as indirectly. The people who will be directly affected by your decision like your coworkers, investors, suppliers and customers will ask you the reasons behind your decision. If at that time you don’t full fill their information requirements, they can cause great problem in the implementation of your decision.
· Welcome the criticism-
Once you and your team reach to the final decision, go and challenge to those who are experts in your field in your office or out of the office. Ask them to criticize your decision or to find out the loop holes they can find. If nobody can find any, your decision is ready to implement.
Go through these strategies to improve your decision making skills and you will find the success very soon.
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