Successful professionals know how to think through problems and choose the best option.
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Some of the most challenging times at work occur when you are presented with a situation that tests the values of your organization. You have to decide whether to fully adhere to organizational values, make an exception or do something in between. Whatever the decision, and if it involves an area of high public scrutiny, there will be a group of people who will not like your decision. Here are five ways to help you weigh your options and select the best solution
1. Analyze the situation, and consider all possible options.
Have a solid grasp on the situation at hand. Ask yourself, “Who, what, when, where, why and how.” What is the situation? Who are the players in the situation? When and where did the situation occur? How and why did this happen?
Then consider the next step you might take. Is there a single next step or multiple next steps you could take? Reflect on all possibilities.
Bring in colleagues. Identify what other professionals might have a stake in the situation or outcome, and consult with them. Professionals with different backgrounds will add different perspectives to the situation to ensure you are thinking about it holistically and comprehensively. Identify colleagues in different functions or departments and in other geographic regions.
2. Remind yourself that you are getting paid to navigate challenges.
If you feel overwhelmed or unsure about the situation, remind yourself that your job is to tackle thorny issues. Complex problems require the reasoned and balanced thinking that humans have and that computers don’t.
You are in your position because someone saw your ability and potential. A person saw that you had the requisite skills and experience to handle challenges. Trust yourself to handle the challenge.
3. Pick the best possible choice moving forward.
Once you have thoughtfully considered the situation at hand and all possible scenarios, select the path you and your team will take. Ask yourself, “Is this option practical?” “Is this option defensible?” The option may not be ideal, but is it the best choice you have?
You may have to weigh or balance a response with a core company value. Does your decision go against this value, or will it make people question the company’s values? How much of the organization’s reputation is your team willing to risk to make the best call?
Like many things in life, not everyone is going to agree with your decision. You cannot and will not win everyone over. Disagreement is a natural part of making hard decisions. You, as a representative of the organization, can demonstrate your leadership by having the backbone to commit to what you believe is the best approach for the organization.
4. Prepare for a reaction.
Based on the choice you select, think through how the public and employees will react to the decision. Engage public relations and employee relations professionals, and think through proactive and reactive messaging. Consider if the company should implement complimentary programs to help smooth over any big changes and where people can get answers or seek support
5. Reflect on the situation, and identify improvements for the future.
No matter how smooth the result or turbulent the fallout, think about what went well and what could be improved. Hard decisions require reflection so that you can make more informed decisions in the future. Hard decisions that require balancing priorities may never be perfect. But you always have the opportunity to make better choices the next time.
As a professional, you will be presented with challenging situations where you will have to decide on what path to follow. Thoroughly analyze the situation, remember that you can make the tough choices, select the best option available, prepare for any fallout and use what you learned in the present situation to better lead in the future. Demonstrate that you have the leadership skills to make hard decisions.
What helps you to weigh options and select the best solution? Share with me your stories and thoughts via Twitter or LinkedIn.
