As the COVID-19 crisis unfolded this spring and summer, we saw an increase in leaders seeking support with decision making. Many asked:
- Can you help us make faster decisions?
- How can we make decisions in this uncertain COVID-19 world?
- How can we empower frontline staff to make decisions?
- How can we make decisions using more inclusive processes?
- How can we cut down on our bureaucracy in decision-making?
These leaders are not alone in feeling the impact of decision making on their organization’s culture and effectiveness. In a recent report by McKinsey & Company, leaders cited decision making as a top factor in slowing down their team and organizational speed. Leaders saw building faster decision-making mechanisms as a core strategy to getting work done.
Source: McKinsey & Company Report September 9, 2020
A few weeks later, another McKinsey & Company report affirmed that rapid decision making was a key characteristic of resilient organizations, who were able to excel during the COVID-19 crisis.
Source: McKinsey & Company Report October 13, 2020
Decision often indicates how power is articulated and distributed across your organization. Without clear, decision making rights power is often shared implicitly, and it’s harder for teams to truly own their work. My colleague Jessie Punia has articulated that providing teams with space to make decisions and act is a key component of the Empowerment Formula.
The speed and satisfaction team’s have with decision-making is often a leading indicator for their levels of engagement, productivity, inclusion, and innovation.
At August Public we see decision making as one design solution in creating more responsive ways of working. We’ve developed a set of practices to help improve decision making, from starter practices around defining the decision and decision owner, to more advanced practices around consent and decision rights.
We’ll be sharing more resources this fall through blog posts and webinars, featuring the specific practices and stories from our clients. Join us in learning by:
