How to Create Decision Making in your Business
Do you feel like you’re the only one making decisions in your business? And does it often feel like no one thinks for themselves?
That’s a common scenario for business owners these days. While it might be hard to notice it in the early days, over time it can get worse. Meaning, you might end up being the only person in the company thinking about solving problems. This if left unchecked creates dependency on you for every decision, even the simple small ones. Requiring your time and taking you away from other areas within the business that need your attention.
Your time in no longer your own. You are Stuck!
You’re not alone in this. So many other business owners regardless of how big or small their business is, are struggling with the same. There’s so much you need to be thinking about in every moment, and all aspects of your business need attention, that it’s easy to overlook the fact that you have created an environment where decision making, and thinking is your job and is something you do on your own.
Once you become aware of this, it’s time to act.
I want to share with you 4 practical steps that I’ve learnt that will create an environment where your team can think for themselves and make decisions for themselves.
1. Create systems for Clarity
Building consistent processes, (systems, methods or workflows) for your team to follow. This eliminates all the unnecessary decision and pain points that occur currently because the processes don’t work. But, the first step is eliminating wasted time and the need to run to you when it can be resolved through streamlining processes.
You need to build workflows and processes that are effective and efficient and consistently applied across the business this enables you to support your team through coaching them and holding them accountable. Many businesses don’t know what their processes are and when people leave the team, they take with them the business intellectual property (IP). Documented processes create one version of the truth for the business which aids in compliance, training, communication and reduces conflict and silos.
2. Escalate your teams thinking
There are three levels of thinking WHAT, HOW and WHY – if you give your team all three of these levels for the tasks that they complete they will be able to create context for their activities and for any questions that arise leading to better decision making.
They need to know what process they are completing, and the steps involved, how they need to complete it, and any deadlines they need to meet, as well as how this process fits into the overall strategy and why both the process and the overall strategy is important. This will enable them to think about not just the task in front of them, but also be able to quickly come up with the next step in the process because they understand the purpose and the desired outcome of the process.
3. Create an environment for learning and making mistakes
If you want decision making and innovation in your business, then you need to create an environment where people feel safe and encouraged to make mistakes so they can learn. That’s much better than having a team of people afraid to test things, to act without asking, or to do anything at all as it might lead to failure.
The best advice for creating a great environment for innovation is to reward your employees when they make a mistake. Celebrate mistakes, share the learnings When that happens, talk to them and pick their brain on how they came up with the solution they thought was right and help them to identify other things that they could have considered.
4. Don’t share your opinion first
Here’s the harsh truth: As a leader your opinion kills collaborative decision making and thinking every single time. It eliminates the opportunity to build, get creative, innovation and debate. It eliminates diversity and collaboration.
When you walk into a meeting and express your opinion, it becomes the baseline of what everyone works with. Some may agree or disagree, but most won’t challenge it as the starting point, most won’t say anything. However, all will accept it as the starting point of the discussion, and most will act upon it as if it was an instruction regardless of where the discuss ends.
A simple change in your approach can have dramatic impact. Simply don’t share your opinion first. During a meeting, or even when talking to an employee virtually or face-to-face, ask them what they think. Get curious about them.
CONCLUSION
That’s how you get others in your business to take decisions even if you’re not there, and how you help the company move forward and prosper. And in the process, you create more time for yourself, an engaged and passionate workforce that share their opinions and perspectives, and a business that is innovative and growing.
Leaving you time to focus on the areas that require your skills and capability knowing that your team are clear on what they need to do and are making decisions that are taking you forward.