Currently, more and more importance is given to the participation of all the elements that make up a group or work team in decision-making, not because decision-making made exclusively by the group leader has been totally dispensed with (manager, boss, supervisor, etc.) but because there are times when the knowledge and experience of a greater number of people must be used to make better decisions.
In addition, when people participate in decision-making, they feel more committed to achieving the desired results, becoming a powerful motivator for workers when they are taken into account when deciding.
Nowadays, doing the job well is not enough for the success of business projects, so we cannot forget the influence of "emotional intelligence"; in other words, to adopt an open and responsible attitude of cooperation and adapt it to the norms and ways of working of our entity.
The most appropriate way to proceed when making decisions in a company is to analyze the situation from all possible points of view. Then it is necessary to act with security and conviction.
Regardless of our position in the company as well, we can request the cooperation of others, and welcome their ideas.
You have to know what each employee can perform, what are the obligations they have and demand that they fulfill them, but always with education and assertiveness, behaviors that indicate security in our leadership capacity and confidence in the skills of others.
Both decision-making and labor organization are based on the power to delegate. It's not about giving subordinates more work or responsibility, but better work, so that we all focus on what is valuable to the company. The delegation shows the managerial success if it is accompanied by a good criterion of selection, training and reinforcement.
It is important that in our organization the business and departmental objectives are well specified and defined, with a dual purpose:
- Optimize available resources Solve, in an integrated and efficient way, the real problems that may arise
The need for communication between all interlocutors to achieve the established objectives, especially in companies in the information transmission field. All this accompanied by effective coordination and a rigorous work procedure method, which notably reinforce the involvement and commitment of the staff to meet the agreed deadlines.
The number of members in this decision-making process, as well as the degree of information that we have at all times and the possibilities provided by each election are elements to take into account.
We have all "suffered" on more than one occasion the consequences of other people's decisions and we know that it is easy to "discover" when they are wrong and that it is even easier to admit the mistake when we have not been part of it. We also know that it is much easier for us to feel comfortable when we have been participants in the decision-making process and, what's more, phrases such as “if it seems fine to me, but you could have consulted me before” are everyday.
When transferring this situation to the world of the company and in the current context, the participation of the employees becomes especially important. It is very rare a decision that an organization can make that does not affect in one way or another the daily dynamics of employees. It does not matter if they are strategic or specific decisions, if they affect the entire staff or a few or if they involve a radical change or a minor modification of internal processes. Absolutely all decisions have an impact on the future of the organization and on its members, so it is convenient to avoid that situation of discontent that is almost always caused by imposed decisions.
For their part, some companies are used to managers who do not have anyone and do not transmit any information. However, situations in which these types of policies can work properly are very rare. In general, organizations in which a single individual makes decisions completely autonomously benefit from speedy decision-making. The problem of individual decisionsresides in the fact that there is not always a global vision of the situation, of all the necessary information so that the chosen alternative is the most beneficial and, what is more complicated, the responsibility for the execution falls on other people, therefore, In the event of a failure in the forecasts, the responsibility for failure does not fall on the person responsible for the decision, but on the employee who has carried it out.
A good option in this situation is to establish a small interval of consultations, where the person responsible for making the decision collects new information, tests his employees, invites them to provide ideas or new directions, assumes that the responsibility is his but encourages participation -always bearing in mind which are the objectives set-, and finally, share with everyone your decision. As in the previous case, this decision-making process provides a lot of flexibility but, unlike the previous one, it minimizes the possibility of error and does not transfer to employees the perception that they do not count.
Compared to the two previous models, we can find a third way. In this case, the decision-maker will bring together all those involved in this decision-making process, will state the reasons that drive them to intervene and together with their team will define the objectives. Once this is done, they will all draw up the strategies and reassign the responsibility and commitments that each one must assume in the new situation. This situation is ideal for most companies and in situations of strong changes since it allows us to collect all the necessary information while offering the opportunity to decide to each involved. Despite being a rather slow decision-making system,It is one of the most suitable when the volume of information to be handled is very high since each area manager will offer a vision of reality and therefore, the new orientation will have a more complete perception of what is really happening in the market.
Involving your employees in the organization's decision-making process is critical to the success of the organization. Typically, employers complain about the lack of efficiency and performance of workers. Have you ever wondered why this is the case? Have you considered that they do not perform because they do not identify with the direction they have been told they should take? Have you thought that perhaps it is necessary for you to consider how you would react to these decisions imposed ?. This decision is yours… and if you are right it may be the last you have to make alone.
The advantages are:
- A greater concentration of knowledge, experiences and information A greater variety of points of view The acceptance of the final solution is facilitated Communication problems are reduced
The disadvantages:
- The social pressure that is generated The predominance exercised by the informal leaders of the group over others The hidden purposes, which often influence opinions: personal, political interests, etc. The manipulation of commitment, in order to reach a decision faster.
Points to consider for successful decision making:
- Hold weekly or biweekly meetings to keep informed about progress and problems that arise During meetings adopt an approach to diagnosing problem solving Development of the solution, without a dominant intervention from the group leader who must adopt a position more supportive than active intervention, leaving the group to suggest and propose, without directly getting involved in the debates. Discussion of the final solution. Feedback. After a solution has been chosen and implemented, the group leader should be giving feedback to the group on the progress, successes or failures that arise.
Suggestions for deciding whether to make the decision in a group or individually to achieve results consistent with reality and satisfactory:
- Time factor The possibility of obtaining satisfactory solutions Willingness to risk Rationalization Use cost-benefit analysis Avoid “steaming” decisions Trust established procedures Consult others Remember that no one is always right
Decision-making strategies:
- Quantitative and control methods Maintenance factors at work Technique to stimulate enthusiasm and performance
Decision making must therefore be oriented towards continuous improvement. Life is constant change, and if you are habitually adapted to it, the concepts of motivation and personal challenge continue to hold their value.
Sources:
www.elergonomista.com
www.eltallerdigital.com
www.xtrategy.com.mx
Author:
Employ.com
Empléate.com is the leading job market in Venezuela, with a presence in 14 countries. Created in 1999, it has a team of 40 professionals, has more than 1 million resumes in its database, 70 thousand registered companies and 250 corporate employment sites developed. Currently, the portal offers more than 20 thousand job vacancies and is visited by 1.3 million users every month (Google Analytics, April 2008). According to the Data Polling Station and the Advertising and Marketing Magazine, Aplicacionesate.com is the fifth most remembered Internet brand by Venezuelans (July 2006). Likewise, it was awarded the award for Best Human Resources Portal in the last two editions of LoMejorde.com and it was named as the best Human Resources portal according to the survey «The Best on the Web» of the Manager Magazine (July 2008).
