A520.3.1RB_SeabournBeau

What are a few words that describe your decision-making style?

- Rapid

- Informed

- Impulsive

What are the opposite of the words I chose?

- Slow

- Uninformed

- Calculated

Could you see any benefits to making decision using an approach that is based on either the opposites or somewhere in between and what outcome could you expect to see?

To answer the question in one word, yes. My decision making for many years has been impulsive and in some cases based on information that was biased or misleading. I have a natural tendency to get caught up in the heat of the moment and make irrational decisions based on emotion. What I have learned to do more recently is to slow down, gather all of the information about whatever subject it is, and then make an informed decision. My decision making style is changing as my graduate program moves along. Thus far, I have learned that perspective is a powerful tool and getting to know a situation or person is a good step to help hard problems get solved. Our text this week states that "diagnosing a situation so that the focus is on the real problem, not just it's symptoms"(Whetten,2011), is important. One of my personal traits is competitiveness. Like our reading mentions, competitiveness can be a good tool to use to help come through a problem or to gain a motivational edge. The downside for me is that I'm to competitive and that can make for impulsive decisions and irrational understanding of a situation. So to put my goals in practical use, I want to try and be better at understanding a situation from all angels, apply my learned leadership qualities, and then try and make the best decision I personally can. If a calculated, informed decision is made, maybe there might be a level of trust that is gained among my employees and maybe even higher management. My source this week states what I'm trying to accomplish this way: 

• " Demand evidence. Whenever anyone makes a compelling claim, ask for supporting data. Don't take someone's word for it.
• Examine logic. Look closely at the evidence and be sure the logic holds up. Be on the lookout for faulty cause-and-effect reasoning.
• Encourage experimentation. If you don't have evidence, create some. Invite managers to conduct small experiments to test the viability of proposed strategies and use the resulting data to guide decisions" (Tips, 2011).

Although bullet point three is new to me, I find it interesting to explore further.I learned a lot this week from the ability to look at meanings of words and their opposites. I'm going to try and apply them as soon as I can.

References

Tips on Decision Making. (2011, April 14). Retrieved August 30, 2014, from http://hbr.org/product/harvard-business-review-on-making-smart-decisions/an/10323-PDF-ENG

Whetten, D. & Cameron, K. (2011). Developing Management Skills (8th ed.). Pearson: Upper Saddle River, NJ.