It is difficult, but it is precious to be decisive. A proverb claimed, by both the French and Russians, states, ‘between two stools, one sits on the ground’.
Management
It is difficult, but it is precious to be decisive. A proverb claimed, by both the French and Russians, states, ‘between two stools, one sits on the ground’.
Life is all about exercising a choice between alternatives. The exercise to choose is “critical”. The difference between Napoleon of Marengo and Napoleon of Waterloo, is due to the wrong choice of timing to attack Moscow. His troops could not withstand the harsh cold of Russia. Between summer and winter time to attack, he chose the latter. The consequence, he met his “Waterloo” at “Waterloo”!
If you don’t chose the alternative, Mother Nature gets active and decides for someone to choose for you. A constant factor in life is to decide. What to do? How to decide? I accept that not all situations that demand selection of a choice must impel you to decide; it is sometimes best to let Mother Nature decide, and not become a competitor to it. However, for each of us, it is imperative to “decide” because life places us at the fork of pathways that are always plenty and appear before us, day in and day out. We have to necessarily chose, which path to take.
Sometimes it is the fear of the unknown that strikes and makes managers indecisive. The loss of confidence, to be sure of what the heart says, leads to either procrastination or a half baked action, that most likely will never measure up to the challenge faced.
Decision has to be taken by an individual; even if a committee meets to decide, it will always be one person pushing for a conclusive decision. Decision-making by consensus is a myth. A few decide, the rest follow. Oliver Cromwell in exasperation had yelled on the floor, “I am for consent as any man, but where shall it be found?”
Hesitation by managers and leaders impedes the growth of any institution. Some join decision making based on their judgement of which way the wind is blowing – if the chairperson or the CEO is inclined, they always vote with a resounding “yes”; and if to the contrary, these become die-hard dissidents. Not much help is their lot to themselves and to the institution. Fence sitters can never be decision-makers.
Managers, who are not in step with their moorings usually succumb to two great failings; firstly irresolution, when action is required and secondly, the instability in execution. Managers, who appear and are perceived to be unsure of their actions, obviously end up creating teams of colleagues, who begin to live and work “in doubt". Such wouldn’t even know if they are coming or going! Vacillation in decision-making can be very tedious and exhaustive experience. In such situations all action, which is deliberately delayed will result into a futile effort.
Indecisiveness leads to risk of not doing anything. The defeat in any aspect of life, lies within us. We decide, to either win or lose. It is a major fallacy that opponents defeat us. A leader, who displays indecision’s, is to his team, the acrobat, who walks on tight rope, without any support, to the horror and delight of the “unsure” audience. In fault they slam his skills; in success they applaud. Indecisiveness in the using of skills at the right time can have disastrous consequences.
No manager waits for good times, to decide; he makes it happen; time lost in choosing and thinking endlessly is non-recoverable. It will be ill-affordable for any leader/manager to wait for the tide to take ebb, before deciding to cross the river. A decision has to be taken to jump and swim against the water currents and unexpected waves, only then achievements of business takes place. All markets are flowing rivers, it is in their nature to flow. No market is a stagnant lake, hence decision making has to flow naturally for results. Waiting for favourable conditions in the market place is like waiting to lift anchors, only when the waves are smooth – no sailor anchors in troubled conditions – he navigates to move out of stormy weather. So must a manager, take quick decision and navigate out of falling or trouble-some markets. Those managers remain decisive who carry a belief that if anything were to go wrong, it will be his doing. He will evaluate and re-consider the path to be taken; only he who has confidence to look at defeat as a temporary setback, will rise from even doldrums and convert action into victory.
Peter Drucker wrote, “whenever you see a successful business, someone once made a courageous decision”. When any space-ship lifts off from Cape Kennedy Carnival, the “ifs and buts” of any possible mishap are cast aside – a decision is taken to put to shreds all doubts. The NASA decides. And that decision when it becomes irrevocable, the lift off happens, with disregard to negative consequences. The decision making here, as in business, requires faith, guts, determination and courage. Fear diminishes, only when you decide. Sitting on the ropes, helps no cause. The hesitant manager is a poor manager and even poorer, as a leader.
The best line, I have read on decisiveness is by Norman Dolublas, quoted in the Almanac, “why always, not yet”? Do flowers in spring say, “not yet”." Managers can usher ‘spring’ in winter with proper and timely decisions.
The foundation of proper decision making is built upon clarity of thought, intuition and imagination. Managers must dare to dream. Then have faith to give it practical shape through effective and timely decision making.
The writer is a freelance columnist
