151 Quick Ideas for Delegating and Decision Making

by Robert E. Dittmer, Stephanie McFarland Narrated by Barry Abrams

Overview

Research and experience demonstrate two areas with which many new managers are completely unfamiliar: delegating tasks and work and making decisions. Some struggle with this for years. But it doesn't have to be hard. 151 Quick Ideas for Delegating and Decision Making combines 50 years' experience of two managers, and the experiences of other managers who have been interviewed and observed. Each real world idea has been tried and tested. The best ones are here, in an easy to understand form for you to use. Select those that fit your particular circumstance, for example:



¿ Start with the End in Mind



¿ Know which decisions to make when



¿ Avoid group think



¿ Show them, don't tell them



¿ Put confidence in competence



¿ Give credit and reward success



And even if you are already in a supervisory position, this book can help you do a more effective and efficient job at managing people and tasks.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940172394348
Publisher:	Ascent Audio
Publication date:	08/21/2018
Series:	151 Quick Ideas
Edition description:	Unabridged

Read an Excerpt

CHAPTER 1

What Is a Decision?

Yes, this sounds like a stupid question. But wait — it isn't, really. We often think we are making decisions when what we are really doing is simply making choices. Decision making is a management tool designed to be much more than just selecting from some choices.

While there are often choices in decision making — at least one hopes there are — those choices must be analyzed in terms of outcomes and consequences. That is what makes decision making a management process in any organization. It is the focus on achieving desired outcomes that is important.

Thus, decision making is a process of analyzing alternatives to reduce uncertainty about achieving a desired outcome. Of course, along the way, we must always be concerned with unintended consequences, but more about those later.

So, decision making for managers is the identification of alternative solutions to problems, challenges, and opportunities; the analysis of those alternatives; and the selection of the alternative most likely to achieve the desired outcome with the best affect on the organization. There! How's that for a definition? Pretty simple, right? Well, maybe not. We are going to spend another 92 ideas on this process called decision making. It's not simple, if you want to get it right, that is.

Assignment

Review your role in your organization and think about the decisions you commonly make. Review your process for making those decisions. Determine if you have made those decisions in the past based on desired outcomes.

Epilogue

The quality of a decision is really based on a number of factors, but the process is extremely important. So, let's get it right!

CHAPTER 2

Decisions as Remedies

As we examine decision making, we can view the process as one with two potential goals: first, to fix problems or challenges we have identified, and second, to make decisions that advance the organization.

Probably the most common decisions are made to remedy a problem inside the organization. We are constantly faced with these in life. For example, our son brings home a bad report card, so you make a decision to require him to study and do his homework every night before he can watch TV, surf the Internet, or play a video game.

Assignment

Think about some of the recent decisions you have made in your personal and professional life and identify which are remedies, or decisions to fix something. Think about those circumstances. We'll come back to those later.

You have identified a problem and created a solution to the problem — a remedy, so to speak. In doing so, you probably evaluated a number of different alternative solutions and arrived at this one.

We do the same kind of decision making in our organizations all the time.

Epilogue

Solutions to problems are the most common decisions we make in life, and are often the ones we are most practiced at accomplishing; but there are others.

CHAPTER 3

Decisions as Avenues to Progress

The other major kind of decision is one in which you must determine how to take advantage of an opportunity, or how to move the goals and objectives of an organization forward. These are quite challenging, and demand quality decision-making skills.

As managers, we are often called upon to make decisions to move the organization forward — to increase the chances of achieving stated goals and objectives. We normally equate the achievement of these goals and objectives as progress, and that's what managers do: they make progress, achieve goals and objectives, and ensure the constant success of the organization.

Assignment

Similar to the previous assignment, think about some of the decisions you have made recently in your professional life and identify those designed to advance the cause, to achieve progress for the organization.

Achieving these goals almost always requires quality decisions made from a wide variety of alternatives and in a broad range of settings and circumstances. The decisions are often complex, involve many people, have significant consequences and ultimately determine the extent of success or failure of the organization.

How's that for decision making as a management function? Feel the pressure? Stress building up?

Well, it doesn't have to. There are tried-and-true ways to handle these decisions, and that's what this section of the book is about.

Epilogue

Decision making to promote the organization's success is what being a manager is all about. Good decision-making skills will help make you a good — or even great — manager.

CHAPTER 4

Making the Decision: Is It Yours to Make?

Here's the first decision you have to make: Do you really have to make this decision?

Sounds like a dumb question, but it's not! Your first task in any decision-making situation is to make certain it is your responsibility to make this decision. Sometimes we all have a tendency to rush into a situation and "fix it." Often, that calls for some decision making. Yet, if we took the time to think about it, the situation may require a decision by someone else, not us. How to decide?

Assignment

Think about decisions that have been made in the past that clearly were made in the heat of the moment by the wrong person. Did the results turn out badly?

Start with the situation. Does it require a decision right now? Are you the person who logically should make the decision? If it isn't a crisis or emergency, would you still be the one to make the decision? If the answers to these questions are yes, then make the call.

If, however, the answers are no, then it may be someone else's decision to make. Next questions: Are they there to make the decision? Is there time for them to do so? If not, perhaps you will need to make the decision for them.

If time is not of the essence, then consult with anyone involved to determine whose decision it is to make.

Epilogue

Don't make decisions you don't have to or shouldn't. They never turn out right.

CHAPTER 5

A Key Question: Why Are You Making This Decision?

There are those managers who just love to make decisions. It provides confirmation of their purpose in the organization, and it often gives them a sense of power and authority. It is personally and professionally rewarding to them to be able to make decisions.

Yet, it is always important to remember that the ability and authority to make decisions are not a right, but a responsibility. It is an important role and function of management, and should not be taken lightly, or undertaken for personal reasons or ends.

Assignment

Think about these questions. They are not posed lightly. Think about situations you may find yourself in where your personal stake in the outcome might be a problem.

Just as importantly, it is critical to ensure that you are the correct person to make the decision. Ask the following questions before undertaking the decision-making task:

• Is this my decision because I am responsible for the outcome?

•Is this my decision because I am responsible for the people involved?

• Is there someone else who might be more qualified to make the decision?

• Is this a decision my boss should make?

Finally, ask yourself if you have a personal stake in the outcome. If you do, while it may still be your decision to make, you should identify your position and try to set it aside so you can make a rational and objective decision — not one influenced by your own motivations.

Epilogue

Making decisions for the wrong reasons may well turn out alright, but they might turn out badly as others discover the decision was made for personal reasons.

CHAPTER 6

Decisions to Save Face

Sometimes we find ourselves in situations where we are tempted to make a decision that affects others because we made a mistake, and are trying to make up it. We are trying to "save face," saving our personal reputation from damage.

If this is the only reason for making the decision, it is a bad one. Decisions should be made for the good of the organization and its members, not to help one manager save his or her reputation from damage.

If you find yourself thinking about whether to do something or not, solely for the purposes of making up for — or covering for — a previous mistake, don't do it. Stop at that point. If you've screwed up, take your lumps and move on. There will be other times to shine.

Assignment

Remember when you have seen others decide something only so they can cover for their own mistake. How do you feel about that?

Epilogue

So, do you want to be one of those people? Probably not.

CHAPTER 7

Decisions to Gain Prestige

Here is another questionable motivation for making a decision: If the reason you think you have a decision to make is because you will gain in reputation or in influence — prestige — then the real outcome of the decision is not for others or for the organization, it's for you.

These situations almost never work out to your advantage. You may think you have a good reason for the decision, but most will see through your rationalizations and see it for what it is: an attempt to improve your prestige in the organization.

Assignment

You've seen others do this before you. You didn't respect them then.

Resist these impulses to make a decision just because it's good for you.

Epilogue

Don't become one of those you have criticized in the past.

CHAPTER 8

Decisions to Fit In

This is another decision you are tempted to make not because the organization needs it, but because you need it, which is always a questionable motivation. The desire for new managers to fit in with their new peer group of other managers is strong — and normal.

However, there are many more ways to begin the fitting-in process than by making decisions for that purpose alone. Again, the people who are affected by that decision will immediately recognize your motivation and think less of you for it. And your new peer group will also see the same thing; your credibility and capability will be damaged.

Assignment

Recall others who have made decisions just to be "one of the team." You didn't respect it then, and others will not respect it from you.

Instead, to fit in, become a resource to other managers. Become someone they can count on for help and advice. Get to know them and let them get to know you.

Epilogue

Fitting in with a new peer group involves relationship building, not decision making.

CHAPTER 9

Decisions to Get Promoted

Probably the worst motivation for making any decision is the personal, self-aggrandizing motivation of making a decision in such a way as to position yourself for a promotion. This usually means a decision that benefits you, but not others. You've seen this: A manager reorganizes his department just to demonstrate he has ideas rather than because the department will be more efficient or effective after the reorganization.

Assignment

Resist the motivation to make decisions for personal advancement.

There are two good reasons to reject this motivation for a decision. First, it's a poor excuse to make a decision. As a manager, you are charged with making decisions to improve outcomes for the organization — not yourself.

Second, those you think you will be impressing will recognize the motivation and will not value it. You may think they will not notice — but they certainly will. Remember, you did when you saw things like this happen!

Epilogue

Decisions for personal motivations usually backfire.

CHAPTER 10

Is It Soley Your Decision to Make?

Not every decision requires a sole decision maker. Many, especially in business and industry, require a number of very informed and involved decision makers to collectively make the best decision for the organization. Decisive people, perhaps like you, tend to want to "make things happen." But sometimes it's best to either pass the decision to someone else who may be more appropriate, or, even more common, involve others in the decision.

At other times, expediency will suggest that the decision should be made in consultation with other managers or perhaps with your boss — all of whom may well have an important stake in the outcome(s). Consider those players, and the circumstances, before undertaking the decision alone.

Assignment

Review the decisions you have made or participated in making in the past. How many were sole decisions by yourself or others and how many were group or collaborative decisions? Use this set of experiences as a guide.

But you need to determine that based on the evidence. What is the nature of the decision? Who will it affect? Will it affect others besides those I am responsible for supervising? Will it affect processes conducted by others? These kinds of questions will help you determine who should be involved in the decision process.

Epilogue

Remember that a shared decision is often not only better received, but also better implemented.

CHAPTER 11

Do You Need to Share the Decision With Someone Else?

Seems like a simple questions, doesn't it? To share or not to share. Yet, it is not always that easy to tell. If you have analyzed the situation as we have already suggested, you know who needs to be involved. But do you know whether they need to share in the decision process or just be consulted?

Assignment

Review past decisions and consider those that were consultative versus consensus. Why were they consultative and not consensus, or vice versa? Your own past experiences will be important here.

We're back to some of those earlier questions. Who should be involved and why? The why will suggest if they need to be a co-decision maker. Sometimes there is just one other person with an important stake in the outcome of the decision. When that is the case, consider consulting and sharing the decision process and outcome with him or her.

Sometimes there are many with a stake in the process or outcome. In those cases, you will need to decide (yes, another decision) whether you will consult and then make a decision, or whether you will work toward a consensus.

Each of these options is different, and requires slightly different processes and concerns.

Epilogue

Consulting versus consensus can make a real difference in the success of the outcome of your decision.

CHAPTER 12

12 Consulting the Key Players

Once you have identified the need to make a decision and consult with key people, you need to make certain you have correctly identified the right players. A rule of thumb is that anyone who will be affected by the decision should be consulted. If their processes will be affected, consult them. If their business outcomes will be affected, consult them. This applies to other managers as well as to your own work team.

When consulting, make sure you convey to them that you are only doing that — consulting. You will make the decision, but you are asking for their input and recommendations. Never imply that they are part of the decision-making process. When you consult, you are clearly seeking input, not partners in the decision.

Assignment

Practice a few lines akin to this example. Write them down so you can retrieve them as needed. Make certain they clearly indicate you will be making the decision, and you are asking only for input.

Here's one way to do this: "Hi, Frank, I'm trying to decide whether to move our Task A from Office A to Office B. As I make my decision, I'm asking any key players, like you, what the affect might be from your perspective." A statement like this clearly asks for input, yet just as directly indicates you will be making the decision.

Epilogue

Consult anyone whose processes or outcomes will be affected by your decision.

CHAPTER 13

Do You Need a Consensus?

Consensus is a decision-making technique that uses all of the resources and the participation of an entire group. That could be a group of managers, or it could be a group of workers. Consensus always requires more time to make the decision than a simple managerial decision. It also is not a democratic vote.

Consensus involves compromise by the group making the decision. Not everyone can always get everything he or she wants. Often, your role as a manager is to mediate and moderate the process to an effective conclusion: the decision.

More often than not, consensus will require the participants to negotiate an acceptable solution that requires trade-offs. Not everyone will get what he or she wants. What you are looking for is a final product that everyone can live with, which actually achieves your goal. The result is a reasonable decision that everyone in the group can accept.

Assignment

Consider consensus decisions you have been involved in making in the past. How have they been better or worse than others?

Epilogue

Consensus decisions are difficult to manage and obtain, but often provide the best results through time. Your task is to manage the process effectively and efficiently.

(Continues…)

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Excerpted from "151 Quick Ideas for Delegating and Decision Making"
by .
Copyright © 2007 Robert E. Dittmer and Stephanie McFarland.
Excerpted by permission of Red Wheel/Weiser, LLC.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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