10 Deadly Mistakes Managers Should Avoid In Decision Making Process
The manager’s role is both stimulating and challenging. As a manager, you have the opportunity to influence the decision making process, implement business strategies, and oversee organizational change initiatives.
It might also be a chance to make mistakes. The responsibility of managing people can be overwhelming at first. If you use it correctly, however, it can be a learning experience.
If you’re already a manager or hoping to become one, you might be making these mistakes in decision making model. Here are common pitfalls to avoid when making business decisions.
Decision Making Process Mistakes
1. Letting the majority win
As you and your teamwork through the decision making process, there can be a tendency to agree with the majority, where everyone agrees that a problem exists.
All ideas are considered equal, and there is a free exchange of ideas. The recommendations for moving forward are agreeable to everyone involved.
Consensus is not always the answer. It would be best if you were sure that it is suitable for the situation.
The consensus process is a no-drama method designed to avoid conflict, and managers defer to it regularly because it’s comfortable.
To avoid this common problem, it’s important to discuss upfront how decisions will be made and who will do what.
2. Lack of Alternatives
A drawback that can occur due to defaulting to consensus is a lack of alternative solutions presented during decision making in management.
It happens because the group is too focused on reaching an answer without exploring other pathways for moving forward.
For more complex problems, a devil’s advocate process would be more appropriate, which involves assigning an individual to probe underlying assumptions and push the group members to explain the logic and reasoning behind their opinions.
3. Mistaking Opinions for Facts
When it comes to decision making in management, it’s important to set ground rules and ensure everyone knows their part.
A critical component of this is establishing alignment on what constitutes a fact and what constitutes an opinion.
To overcome this problem, managers should assign someone to validate facts and keep conversations on track.
4. Getting Stuck in the Details
During the decision making process, managers and their teams can focus too much on the details and not enough on the bigger picture.
To sell your decision to the larger organization, you need to establish and reiterate priorities and goals.
5. Encouraging Debate
When team members feel they have a role in decision making, they become more invested in the outcome. Managers must be sure to encourage open debate but not let it go on too long.
A high-quality decision making model is built on psychological safety.
In other words, we must make sure that everyone feels free to express their point of view without fear of retribution or punishment.
If nobody in the meeting is willing to participate in a helpful manner or as an equal, it is a waste of time.
Managers must set norms in the group to ensure everyone feels that their ideas are valued and that they’re able to express themselves honestly.
Conclusion
Constantly becoming a better decision-maker and manager is a must in today’s business climate.
Being aware of common pitfalls that managers encounter when facing critical business decisions is a great way to ensure you are equipped with the know-how to overcome organizational challenges and lead your team to success.
About the Author
Eugen Spivak is a multi-award-winning author, business strategist, and a business coach. Eugen is the founder of the Canadian Institute of International Business, an organization focused on a better way to learn business!
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