Page 56 - The John Adair Handbook of Management and Leadership

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solution, being affected by emotion, power politics, the influences
of other people and by their own values. Often a decision is a
compromise between different courses of action, being one that:

• agrees to some extent with one’s own personal interests, needs
or values
• meets the value standards of superiors

• is acceptable to those affected (by the decision and for carrying
it out)

• looks reasonable
• has an escape element of self-justification if it all goes wrong.

Clearly such approaches to decision-making must be removed from
your approach!

Finally, managers need to be prepared to make time to think about
decisions – to devote quality time to this crucial area of activity; to
avoid superficiality (resulting from performing a great variety of tasks
with little time to spare) because thought must be as important as
action; and to involve other people (colleagues, subordinates and
superiors) in making sensible management decisions.

Key elements of effective

thinking and decision-making

Analysis

An essential ability in analysing is to be able to break the whole up
into its component parts, particularly complex matters into its
simple elements.

46 The John Adair Handbook of Management and Leadership