Making the Right Decision: Is your Decision Making Style Giving You the Results You Want?

Editor's Note: Take a look at our featured best practice, Cynefin Framework (28-slide PowerPoint presentation). The decision on how to approach and respond to a problem varies depending on the circumstances. Decisions necessitate a tailored approach, which should help avoid making a fatal decision with irreparable consequences. This PowerPoint presentation provides a detailed overview of the Cynefin [read more]

Also, if you are interested in becoming an expert on Organizational Leadership (OL), take a look at Flevy's Organizational Leadership (OL) Frameworks offering here. This is a curated collection of best practice frameworks based on the thought leadership of leading consulting firms, academics, and recognized subject matter experts. By learning and applying these concepts, you can you stay ahead of the curve. Full details here.

* * * *

Decision making is the selection of a procedure to weigh alternatives and find a solution to a problem. There is no right or wrong way to making decisions. Yet, decisions can always affect organizations. It is important that organizations understand how Decision Making Styles can affect the ultimate result.

The Decision Making Survey

A new research was conducted by McKinsey to offer insight into how to play up our strengths and compensate for weaknesses when we are the one calling the shots. This survey on Decision Making is a systematic approach towards determining Decision Making Styles of leaders.

To develop a language for improved business decision making, a series of questions were asked to measure individual preferences. A score was then provided that covers 6 classes of decision-making biases.

1. Pattern Recognition
2. Action Orientation
3.  Stability
4. Social Harmony
5.  Self Interest
6.  Use of Process

The responses fell along a range from a strong preference for intuitive decision making to a strong preference for making decisions after exhaustive deliberation.

The 5 Decision Making Styles

The 5 Decision Making Styles is the fundamental framework towards serious leadership calls
Decision makers have particular ways of working. There are also actions that should be taken to keep tendencies from undermining intent.

The decision analysis of 1,021 responses yielded 5 groups of Decision Making Styles.

1. The Visionary

Visionaries are high action-oriented, have low stability, and have low use of process. They are the champion of radical change with a natural gift for leading people through turbulent times. They are the people organizations can expect to lead in transformation and have the ability to maintain morale during times of great change.

However, sometimes in a rush, they may be too quick in turning to the wrong direction. A Visionary can only be sustainably effective when there is a good balance of action, stability, and process.

Visionaries comprise only 14% of the total population of the survey.

2. The Guardian

The Guardian has a high risk of stability bias and high use of process.

A model of fairness, a Guardian preserves the health, balance, and values of the organization. With carefully planned and sound decision-making process, many facts are considered and incorporated as much as possible by the Guardian.

On the other hand, a Guardian can be blind to a desperate need for change.

Guardians comprise 22% of the total population of the survey.

3. The Motivator

The Motivator has a high risk of pattern recognition and self-interest bias. They can be a compelling leader for change with an excellent ability to build alignment. The Motivator is your organization’s strong and charismatic storyteller.

However, because of their self-interest bias, the Motivator may believe the vision at the expense of facts. In the end, they get caught up in their own hype and ignore red flags.

Motivators comprise 12% of the total population of the survey.

4. The Flexible

The Flexible is balanced and has a low risk of biases. They have the tendency to be low on action and average on other areas. However, they are the most versatile of leaders. They are comfortable with uncertainty, open minded in adapting to circumstances, and willing to involve a variety of people in the decision making.

On the other hand, the Flexible has the tendency to explore too many potential solutions and decision outcomes. This can lead to paralysis by analysis and inaction.

The Flexible is 25% of the total population of the survey.

5. The Catalyst

The Catalyst is high on action but average on others. They are a true champion of group decision making and implementation. The most balanced of decision makers, they are relatively resilient to the biases inherent in the more extreme decision-making preferences.

However, being in the middle of the road decision style, only average results are delivered. A Catalyst may always get it right but they rarely hit it big.

The Catalyst is 27% of the total population of the survey.

The Decision Making Style we employ will always affect the people we work with and the results we want to achieve. In the end, organizations have to understand that there are critical management decisions that need to be done even if faced with limited information at hand.

Interested in gaining more understanding on the different Decision Making Styles? You can learn more and download an editable PowerPoint about 5 Decision Making Styles here on the Flevy documents marketplace.

Do You Find Value in This Framework?

You can download in-depth presentations on this and hundreds of similar business frameworks from the FlevyPro Library. FlevyPro is trusted and utilized by 1000s of management consultants and corporate executives. Here’s what some have to say:

“My FlevyPro subscription provides me with the most popular frameworks and decks in demand in today’s market. They not only augment my existing consulting and coaching offerings and delivery, but also keep me abreast of the latest trends, inspire new products and service offerings for my practice, and educate me in a fraction of the time and money of other solutions. I strongly recommend FlevyPro to any consultant serious about success.”

– Bill Branson, Founder at Strategic Business Architects

“As a niche strategic consulting firm, Flevy and FlevyPro frameworks and documents are an on-going reference to help us structure our findings and recommendations to our clients as well as improve their clarity, strength, and visual power. For us, it is an invaluable resource to increase our impact and value.”

– David Coloma, Consulting Area Manager at Cynertia Consulting

“As a small business owner, the resource material available from FlevyPro has proven to be invaluable. The ability to search for material on demand based our project events and client requirements was great for me and proved very beneficial to my clients. Importantly, being able to easily edit and tailor the material for specific purposes helped us to make presentations, knowledge sharing, and toolkit development, which formed part of the overall program collateral. While FlevyPro contains resource material that any consultancy, project or delivery firm must have, it is an essential part of a small firm or independent consultant’s toolbox.”

– Michael Duff, Managing Director at Change Strategy (UK)

“FlevyPro has been a brilliant resource for me, as an independent growth consultant, to access a vast knowledge bank of presentations to support my work with clients. In terms of RoI, the value I received from the very first presentation I downloaded paid for my subscription many times over! The quality of the decks available allows me to punch way above my weight – it’s like having the resources of a Big 4 consultancy at your fingertips at a microscopic fraction of the overhead.”

– Roderick Cameron, Founding Partner at SGFE Ltd

“Several times a month, I browse FlevyPro for presentations relevant to the job challenge I have (I am a consultant). When the subject requires it, I explore further and buy from the Flevy Marketplace. On all occasions, I read them, analyze them. I take the most relevant and applicable ideas for my work; and, of course, all this translates to my and my clients’ benefits.”

– Omar Hernán Montes Parra, CEO at Quantum SFE

Want to Achieve Excellence in Organizational Leadership (OL)?

Gain the knowledge and develop the expertise to become an expert in Organizational Leadership (OL). Our frameworks are based on the thought leadership of leading consulting firms, academics, and recognized subject matter experts. Click here for full details.

For both the current executives and leaders of tomorrow, our frameworks address 2 facets of Leadership:

1. How to elevate your management skills to becoming a Leader in your organization.

2. How to elevate your organization to becoming the Leader in your Industry.

Learn about our Organizational Leadership (OL) Best Practice Frameworks here.