Types Of Decision Making

No company can be established, no event or party hosted, no campaign conducted without a substantial amount of decision making. For every path we tread, we confront a bundle of inescapable decisions. While some decisions are mundane and uncomplicated, some are relatively taxing on the brain due to their high risk factors. We must review every minute decision hypercritically and re-run their set objectives a hundred times over. We have to draw the line between the salient pros and cons of any drastic decision in the making. You just cannot open a bakery or design a new clothing brand overnight. That doesn’t mean you wait for your competitors to run you down, but rather, be rational before making a giant leap. Types and styles of decision making can be categorized by the degree to which people participate in the process, or the time allotted to the decision making steps and so on. Before embarking upon important decisions, pertinent questions must be addressed and the decision making variables must be identified. Read this section and inspect the various types of decision making.

 

 

Irreversible
The moment you have made up your mind, there’s no turning back. The resolution is as firm as stone. If or when hard luck strikes, and the repercussions are frightful, suitable recompense will be made when there is no reasonable option to the chosen course.

Be it before, during or even after formulating an agreement to take action, the decision can be changed if backed by good reason. Reversible decision making ideally permits one to acknowledge a mistake beforehand and alter the non-conducive circumstances instead of enduring the worst.

Consisting of a sequence of structured steps, rational decision making is designed to rationally develop a desired solution. Ranging from problem and opportunity identification, to selecting preferable alternatives, this method usually gives encouraging results.

These decisions can never be finalized until the following results prove themselves to be as pleasing as desired. The course of action will only be decided on reception of positive feedback. It is an effective and smart move and aids decision makers in achieving clarity so as to head towards the right direction.

Trial And Error
“Learn from your past mistakes” is an adage that applies to almost anyone and everyone till date. In this category of decision making, a certain course of action is selected and experimented with. If it bears good fruit, the action is given the thumbs up. If it yields rotten tomatoes, thumbs down! Another course will for that reason be adopted. In this ongoing pattern, trial is made and an error occurs till the perfect combination is revealed. The manager is thus endowed with the ability to adopt and adjust plans before fixing a final commitment.

The manager divides a stack of decisions into systematic steps until the whole action is completed. This allows him or her to carefully monitor and scrutinize the risks and obstacles at every stage. It encourages feedback and further discussion before making the decision of the next stage. The decision-makers hedge their best efforts to adopt the most excellent course.

Conditional 
When foreseen circumstances pop into the picture, conditional decision making is rendered useful. Multiple options are kept open and as back-ups. One can hence react quickly to the ever changing scenarios inside and outside the competitive markets.

Delayed
These decisions are put on hold till the decision makers feel that the time is perfect. One receives a go-ahead signal when everything is in place or provides time to tackle situations when disorder invades the decision making scene. Assessing whether a decision needs to be made instantly or if it can wait is of the essence. A true leader approaches decisions assertively and is fully in charge of the decision–making process.