Management at every level wants the level below them to think for themselves and use their initiative. Things move faster and organisations are more flexible when individuals use their initiative. Yes this requires management to have confidence in the decision making of employees, to trust them to act in accordance with the aims and values of the organisation. This isn’t just a question of management loosening the reins or suddenly saying. “You decide” employees have to coached in how to make good decisions.
So how do you coach good decision making? You give people opportunities by delegating task that require them to find their own solutions. Starting with straight forward tasks and increasingly complex ones as they become more confident and competent. Always on the understanding they will be asked to justify their actions.
Secondly individuals can participate in decision making exercises. Unlike team building exercises these start from the premise that the aim is not to get group consensus, there is no time any way for protracted debate the situation is urgent. You can listen to advice and ask group members opinion but as the person in charge you decide. Your decision once made will need to be justify to the workshop facilitator explaining your thinking. And then discussed by the group. The important lesson is being in charge doesn’t mean you don’t have to explain the thinking behind your decision. The important message is that even if the decision turns out to have been wrong or not worked as anticipated, if the reasoning behind it was good, your manager/organisation will back you.
A typical exercise
Your Mars rover breaks down, your only hope of getting back to the safety of base is to walk. The group must decide which items to take with them for this perilous journey, they can only take what they can carry and the more they carry the quicker they will use up their oxygen supply. The shortest route back to base is over most difficult and dangerous terrain and would involve carrying heavy specialist climbing equipment. Some argue for taking the longer route and carrying nothing. Others say it would be suicidal not to take the spare oxygen tanks despite their weight, several members of the group say a trek of this distance requires water and food. The longer they debate what to do the less oxygen they have. They must decide what to do without resorting to a vote.
Other exercises can be work based such as your boss is suddenly called away on an urgent matter and says, ‘you’re in charge for the rest of today’.
- It’s snowing, can we go home early ?
- I know it’s short notice but can I take the day off tomorrow?
- Which one us can go on this course, both of us want to do it and nominations have to be in today.
- We are going to be short staffed this evening, who do you want to give the overtime to, several people have expressed an interest.
Getting employees to use their initiative is hugely beneficial and a key element in developing an agile organisation. It’s achieved by managers willing to delegate but needs to be accompanied by a culture that makes explicit that even if the decision turns out to have been wrong or not worked as anticipated. Coaching can help to give employees the confidence to use their initiative and improve their decision making.
