Making correct decisions

“Decision without thinking is like a body without head.”

― Israt Ali

Making decisions is an ongoing activity. While some decisions can be far-reaching, yet many people find decision-making a difficult affair. Some of them tend to defer the entire process by making ceaseless efforts to gather additional information, including seeking viewpoints of others. There are others who want to go by consensus. Yet there is another class that decide on issues by a draw of lots.

Your efforts to make a decision notwithstanding, many decisions cannot be the best choice. But you can always make the decision-making process more effective.

We ought to be clear about what decision-making actually is all about. In its most elementary sense, it is an act of selecting one option for an action amongst two or more. It should be remembered that the options available may not always be the best and that the one you choose can also be likewise. This could be on account of various factors, and a note of all decisions arrived at should be made so that explanations, if required can be given later and better decisions can be made in the future.

Decisions can be prompted either by logic or instinct, but in most cases, both of them jointly trigger them. Whatever be the prompting factor or factors, decision making has to be structured well so that intricate decisions are trimmed down to effortless steps. Structuring also helps in witnessing the very procedures that go into decision-making and also facilitate making plans to make them meet set timeframes. Normally, the process of decision making comprises seven stages as under:

· Itemising likely answers & alternatives: To be able to do so, you can resort to working alone or in a group. You thus deliberate and come up with possible solutions. This maiden stage is significant because your decision will be arrived at by picking up from amongst fixed options. Sometimes not taking a decision is also a decision by itself.

· Laying down a timeframe & responsibility: When you earmark time for making a decision, you invariably tend to reflect on the deadline imposed, if any and consequences if you overshoot it. You also ponder over the significance of the decision required to be made and the benefits of a quick one vis-à-vis a well-deliberated one. It is likely that the responsibility for decision-making could be assigned to a group and hence any backfire has to be shared collectively. Who is the individual who will thus be instrumental in decision-making? The question per se is important because the extent to which the responsibility can be shared can immensely have a bearing on the quantum of risk factor people may be ready to accept.

· Collecting facts & figures: This is an inescapable requirement to arrive at a sound decision. Insufficient or incorrect information can prompt a wrong decision and similarly information overload can also lead to making the process difficult. You will have to deliberate on the time that you can allocate apropos any risk entailed in making a wrong decision.

· Reflecting on entailing risks: The quantum of risk that can be undertaken in decision-making is a crucial matter. It will be contingent on the gravity of situation that may develop following a wrong decision as also the advantages that accrue in arriving at a correct one. Depending upon the circumstances and exigencies prevalent, you could be brash, take recourse to the middle path or play safe.

· Balancing on principles & standards: Everybody subscribes to principles and standards that are considered to be important. Varied values thus lead to a disharmony of views. Hence, shared decision-making can cause discordant decisions. Therefore, it is prudent to go by consensus after having stipulated principles and standards that cannot be compromised.

· Evaluating the advantages & disadvantages: This is possible if you evaluate the pros and cons of every option available to you. The advantages and disadvantages can be quantified; and the option emerging with maximum advantages will undoubtedly be the best. This by itself is a technique for arriving at a decision that does not entail complicated considerations.

· Arriving at the decision proper: In some instances, you can engage in a direct comparison between various alternatives. The process could be intricate, particularly when it necessitates an evaluation of numerous conflicting principles and options available.

There is also decision-making prompted by instinct or gut feelings. It is possible that the factors being considered are not all-encompassing; the possibility of bias or even wannabe ideas coming into play cannot be totally discounted either. Under such circumstance, previous experience is relied upon but sans any consideration of oversights and errors in judgement. An easy way out, decision-making based on instinct or intuition is not recommended. But when it is an option, you should guard against unwary, impetuous and imprudent reactions.

Decision-making is a wider process of resolving problems. No technique can be a substitute for good judgement and clear thinking. But due contemplation on various factors that have a say on a subject should be taken into account always. It is only then the decision arrived at will be sound and the decision-making process reliable.