Comments on: Leadership Series : Decision Making – Why is it so hard? http://chaitrav.com/2010/06/leadership-series-decision-making-why-is-it-so-hard/ Technology and Marketing Fri, 23 Mar 2012 15:05:47 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Dr. Petri I. Salonen http://chaitrav.com/2010/06/leadership-series-decision-making-why-is-it-so-hard/comment-page-1/#comment-164 Dr. Petri I. Salonen Wed, 07 Jul 2010 00:55:16 +0000 http://chaitrav.com/?p=433#comment-164 Hi Chaitra, Great blog entry, loved it and this topic is especially important for us entrepreneurs that have to make a decision every day, even not knowing where it is going to take use. Sometimes it is gut-wrenching, sometimes we make mistakes, but fortunately we also have good decisions and get to collect the fruits of it. Petri Hi Chaitra,

Great blog entry, loved it and this topic is especially important for us entrepreneurs that have to make a decision every day, even not knowing where it is going to take use. Sometimes it is gut-wrenching, sometimes we make mistakes, but fortunately we also have good decisions and get to collect the fruits of it.

Petri

]]> By: Chaitra http://chaitrav.com/2010/06/leadership-series-decision-making-why-is-it-so-hard/comment-page-1/#comment-149 Chaitra Sun, 20 Jun 2010 07:26:18 +0000 http://chaitrav.com/?p=433#comment-149 @ Jose, thanks for sharing your insight. Choices are important to help us make decisions. @Don, You are correct. Right personality attributes are critical to provide vision, directions, and decisions. @Octavio, You are so correct. Clear objectives are fundamental for determining choices and then making decision. Thanks for sharing your insights. @ Jose, thanks for sharing your insight. Choices are important to help us make decisions.
@Don, You are correct. Right personality attributes are critical to provide vision, directions, and decisions.
@Octavio, You are so correct. Clear objectives are fundamental for determining choices and then making decision.
Thanks for sharing your insights.

]]> By: Octavio Hernandez http://chaitrav.com/2010/06/leadership-series-decision-making-why-is-it-so-hard/comment-page-1/#comment-148 Octavio Hernandez Fri, 18 Jun 2010 11:27:47 +0000 http://chaitrav.com/?p=433#comment-148 One fundamental aspect that I see missing is the need for clear objectives. Herbert Simon stated that all decisions from the most basic to the ones that involve human well being nad society are triggered with an objective in mind. There's the example of the walker: The walker contracts the muscle in his leg to move forward, he's walking to the mailbox, to post a letter (this was originally written in 1957 mind you) to communicate some important information. Each step implies a decision, and an objective. As it happens, quite often we forget or lose dimension of what the objective or objectives are and our mind falls prey of heuristics. Any structured approach to the decision making process should begin by identifying the problem at hand and setting objectives for solving it. That in turn, will determine the criteria we use to evaluate the potential solutions. One fundamental aspect that I see missing is the need for clear objectives. Herbert Simon stated that all decisions from the most basic to the ones that involve human well being nad society are triggered with an objective in mind. There’s the example of the walker: The walker contracts the muscle in his leg to move forward, he’s walking to the mailbox, to post a letter (this was originally written in 1957 mind you) to communicate some important information. Each step implies a decision, and an objective.
As it happens, quite often we forget or lose dimension of what the objective or objectives are and our mind falls prey of heuristics.
Any structured approach to the decision making process should begin by identifying the problem at hand and setting objectives for solving it. That in turn, will determine the criteria we use to evaluate the potential solutions.

]]> By: Don Garcia http://chaitrav.com/2010/06/leadership-series-decision-making-why-is-it-so-hard/comment-page-1/#comment-147 Don Garcia Thu, 17 Jun 2010 00:13:30 +0000 http://chaitrav.com/?p=433#comment-147 I like the ideas. Leadership also has to do with bringing the right personality attributes together to have a vision, provide the means of rationalization (to challenge/revise options), executive authority (to facilitate sound decisions), evangelist (to communicate the benefits), and finally the execution (to realize the intended outcomes of key decisions). These are best utilized in a team where the individuals excel in one of the personality attributes rather than on or two people who excel at all of the personality attributes. This mitigates bias and engenders the best from each member while providing a high probability that an idea or decision is sound, defendable and has firm commitment and support which is essential to realizing the desired outcomes. Good leadership can still produce very bad results and without sincere support based on sound intellect and peer accountability can be disasterous. I like the ideas. Leadership also has to do with bringing the right personality attributes together to have a vision, provide the means of rationalization (to challenge/revise options), executive authority (to facilitate sound decisions), evangelist (to communicate the benefits), and finally the execution (to realize the intended outcomes of key decisions). These are best utilized in a team where the individuals excel in one of the personality attributes rather than on or two people who excel at all of the personality attributes. This mitigates bias and engenders the best from each member while providing a high probability that an idea or decision is sound, defendable and has firm commitment and support which is essential to realizing the desired outcomes. Good leadership can still produce very bad results and without sincere support based on sound intellect and peer accountability can be disasterous.

]]> By: Jose Fantin http://chaitrav.com/2010/06/leadership-series-decision-making-why-is-it-so-hard/comment-page-1/#comment-146 Jose Fantin Wed, 16 Jun 2010 23:57:18 +0000 http://chaitrav.com/?p=433#comment-146 This is a cool post, thanks for sharing, because it "systemizes" something people really struggles on a daily basis. One thing I also think it's important to define is the importance of "choice" as opposed to decisions as a leadership tool - choice is something you own, versus decision, which is something you get to based on a series of factors that were very well summarized by this blog post. When YOU choose to go a certain route, you do it in a way that you take total accountability for where that route takes you. The process of "choice" doesn't ignore all the decision steps you need to follow, on the contrary. A choice without consideration is irresponsible. But once you take your time to consider and analyze all data, consult all the people you consider to be important, you throw all that away and make your choice. Seems odd, but what this allows you to do is to own it. If it goes wrong, you can't blame on the 70% of the people in the room, or the data source you used, the person that helped you consolidate the calculations, or the stakeholders. That't why it's so powerful. This is a cool post, thanks for sharing, because it “systemizes” something people really struggles on a daily basis. One thing I also think it’s important to define is the importance of “choice” as opposed to decisions as a leadership tool – choice is something you own, versus decision, which is something you get to based on a series of factors that were very well summarized by this blog post.

When YOU choose to go a certain route, you do it in a way that you take total accountability for where that route takes you. The process of “choice” doesn’t ignore all the decision steps you need to follow, on the contrary. A choice without consideration is irresponsible. But once you take your time to consider and analyze all data, consult all the people you consider to be important, you throw all that away and make your choice. Seems odd, but what this allows you to do is to own it. If it goes wrong, you can’t blame on the 70% of the people in the room, or the data source you used, the person that helped you consolidate the calculations, or the stakeholders. That’t why it’s so powerful.

]]> By: Chaitra http://chaitrav.com/2010/06/leadership-series-decision-making-why-is-it-so-hard/comment-page-1/#comment-145 Chaitra Wed, 16 Jun 2010 23:21:52 +0000 http://chaitrav.com/?p=433#comment-145 Thanks John for a lovely note. I apprecaite your insights on this topic. Thanks John for a lovely note. I apprecaite your insights on this topic.

]]> By: John Haran http://chaitrav.com/2010/06/leadership-series-decision-making-why-is-it-so-hard/comment-page-1/#comment-144 John Haran Wed, 16 Jun 2010 21:42:27 +0000 http://chaitrav.com/?p=433#comment-144 Chaitra, You have compiled a comprehensive understanding of the complexity of decision making. Your question may have only had 35 interested responsive, yet it was an important topic to explore and discuss. I hope more people view this blog as they may learn something. I know I did. Thanks for sharing. John Chaitra,

You have compiled a comprehensive understanding of the complexity of decision making. Your question may have only had 35 interested responsive, yet it was an important topic to explore and discuss. I hope more people view this blog as they may learn something. I know I did. Thanks for sharing.

John

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