STEPS IN THE DECISIONS PROCESS

Everyone in an organization makes decisions, but decision making is particularly important in a manager’s job. Decision making is such an important part of all four managerial functions that decision making is said to be synonymous with managing. The complexity of managerial decision making ranges from routine choices to highly complicated issues. Students learn about thedecision-makingprocess and study models and guidelines for making effective programmed and nonprogrammed decisions.

A decision is a choice made from two or more alternatives. The decision-making process is a set of six steps that include identifying a problem, selecting an alternative, and evaluating the decision’s effectiveness. Many people take decisions depending just on their gut feeling. However, if the decision involves money or someone’s life, it is important to analyze the situation carefully before making the final decision.The consensus decision process is a useful method for a collaborative group to make decisions. The process includes the following key steps:

1.      Set the Goal – The collaborative group needs a clear end-in-mind. The first consensus decision is to determine the end goal. Without an agreed upon goal, collective consensus will be impossible. This can be accomplished through the collaborative group’s vision and mission statements developed in Step 1B: Setting Your Collaborative Group Up for Success: Tools for Determining Your Purpose(s).

2.      Create a Vision – Ask a question that inspires vision. Here are some examples:

What is our ideal or preferred future?

What are the indicators of a good outcome? 

What would it look like if we got it right?

This can be accomplished by conducting a visioning activity with planning participants. Some example visioning activities can be found in Step 4 – Put Together an Informed Plan of the toolkit.

Additional ideas for constructing a good question can be found in the “Appreciative Inquiry” tool, which is located in the “Universal Community Organizing Concepts” section of the toolkit. When creating a vision, it helps to understand what is essential for the outcome to include and what is desired but not required.

3.      Gather Information – What information does the team need in order to make the best decision? Who has or where is this information, and how do we obtain it? This is addressed by the community readiness and needs and resources assessment tools in Step 2 of the toolkit – Get in the Know By Taking Stock.

4.      Brainstorm Possible Options and Ideas – Develop as many options as possible before narrowing the list of ideas. The example brainstorming tools listed on the following pages can be useful in completing this step in the consensus decision process. In addition, the facilitative leader ensures everyone understands the meaning of each idea before moving forward.

5.      Set Priorities for Possible Options and Ideas Using Relevant Criteria – Once the group has brainstormed all of the possibilities, it’s time to prioritize the ideas. Using relevant criteria will help the group to prioritize ideas more objectively. The example consensus building tools listed on the following pages can be useful in completing this step in the consensus decision process.

6.      Make the decision as a team. The facilitative leader checks to make sure there is full consensus before assuming everyone supports the decision. One way to do this is to use a bus analogy: The bus is leaving the station. Can you get on board? If not, what will it take to get you on our bus?

The ABCs of consensus…

·         Address the issue (Steps 1 – 3)

·         Brainstorm all the possibilities (Step 4)

·         Come to consensus (Step 5 and 6)

Conclusion from this article

A decision is a choice made from two or more alternatives. The decision-making process is a set of six steps that include identifying a problem, selecting an alternative, and evaluating the decision’s effectiveness.The consensus decision process is a useful method for a collaborative group to make decisions. The process includes the following key steps:

Ø Set the Goal

Ø  Create a Vision

Ø  Gather Information

Ø  Brainstorm Possible Options and Ideas

Ø  Set Priorities for Possible Options and Ideas Using Relevant Criteria

Ø  Make the decision as a team

References

v  http://www.buzzle.com/

v  http://www.ethics.org/resources/decision-making-process.asp

v  http://www.google.co.id/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&source=web&cd=6&ved=0CEwQFjAF&url=http%3A%2F%2F202.121.48.120%2FDownload%2F015671d6-2191-41ea-91f5-e93060d7049c.doc&ei=VaRwT_WSBcvjrAfmwImgDg&usg=AFQjCNHDNbPSgHl8QJQVT0I9HiVnRAlBag&cad=rja

Tagliere, D. (1992). How to meet, think, and work to consensus. Pfeiffer, Amsterdam.