Types of decision-making in management

Here are the three types of decision-making that you may encounter in management:

Avoiding

The avoiding decision-making style allows members of management to not make a choice, rather than choosing from the present options. You may choose this style of decision-making if you don’t have enough information to make an informed decision. Instead, you may decide to wait for more alternative choices to present themselves before making coming to a decision.It’s important to have your workplace’s best interest in mind while determining the right choice, so you may also keep from making a decision if the potential outcomes may cause more harm to your organization than good. Lastly, you may choose not to make a decision if there is not an urgent need for change. For example, if you’re deciding on a new attendance policy for employees, you might decide to stick with the existing policy if employee attendance isn’t a pressing issue in your workplace.

Problem-seeking

Problem-seeking involves making decisions based on estimations or possible future events. Management may use this style of decision-making when finding proactive ways to keep potential issues from happening. When doing so, you might make decisions based on the outcomes of previous challenges in your workplace.

Problem-solving

A problem-solving decision-making style allows for management to create solutions to issues that exist within the workplace. This is a common style of decision-making, since a key role of management involves resolving workplace issues to improve workflow and create a positive environment for team members. You might make problem-solving decisions when an employee comes to you with an issue, or when an obstacle arises that lowers productivity.

Decision-making steps

Here are the steps in the decision-making process to help you identify your available choices and make an informed choice as a manager:

1. Recognize the issue

The first step in the decision-making process involves recognizing an issue or opportunity for change. Consider what elements of your workplace where you can implement changes that lead to improvement. If addressing an issue, determine the cause of the issue so that you may understand how it can affect your workplace in the future. If you’re looking for opportunities for improved operations or workflow, consider speaking with your team members to understand their ideas for improvement.

2. Gather relevant information

The second step involves gathering information to help you make a well-informed decision. Try to gather facts and data that include numbers, so that you may compare statistics. For example, if deciding on new sales processes, you may review the sales numbers from previous quarters to see which strategies generated the most profit. Communicate with your team members that may provide valuable information about the decision.

3. Create a list of options

Next, create a list of options that can benefit your workplace. Try to develop a wide range of options so that you have many alternatives from which to choose. Consider consulting with team members for decision-related suggestions. Be sure to write the list on a document so that you may save it and refer back to it as you continue through the decision-making process. When creating your list, include the following information:

• A description of the option: Describe each option, including which staff members the decision may affect, and what materials, budget or resources your workplace may require to make the decision happen.
• Potential outcomes: Describe the potential outcomes for each option, including the benefits and challenges.
• Second options: Consider including information about a second option that you may pursue if the first decision doesn’t have the desired outcome.

4. Consider your options carefully

After creating your list of options, consider each carefully before making your decision. Here are some elements that you may consider while evaluating your choices:

• Feasibility: This determines if a decision is convenient and practical for the workplace. If a decision is feasible, then you may make the changes easily and the transition may go smoothly.
• Acceptability: This measures how well staff members may accept the decision and adapt to the change. To better understand acceptability, you might consult with team members to understand their opinions on each option.
• Sustainability: This refers to the long-term effects that the decision’s outcome may have on your workplace, and if the company is able to sustain the change for an extended period of time.