Leadership and Decision Making

Byron Washington, Columnist

Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom; Yea, with all thy getting get understanding – Proverbs 4:7

Everybody, whether a leader, parent, social worker, teacher, spouse or even a child, must make decisions. Decisions are a part of life. We often interchange the words decision and choice; whichever word you prefer, they both amount to the same thing: you must pick something.

As a leader, it is essential to make decisions based on the most data or information that is available to you. This process of using the most available data is known as data-driven decision-making. Based on the data that is available to me, I will make the best decision. Now, the power in making decisions with data is that it suggests that you have taken the necessary steps to obtain as much information as possible before coming to a conclusion. Stated differently, a person should acquire as much information as possible before they come to a definite answer. Let me give you an example: When I see a news article or a newsworthy event, I intend to understand what happened before I make a decision.

So, in this case, I will start with an online news outlet; then, I will read the same article on a competing news site. Then, I will read the same article on a major newspaper’s site and then read the same article on an international news site. What I am doing is trying to get a better understanding of the entire situation. I am not looking for an opinion to match my ideals. I want to know what happened first, and then I make a decision. Many leaders falter at this point because they seek answers that match their opinions or thoughts, which is dangerous and can lead to a poor outcome.

You must know as much as possible as a leader before deciding on an outcome. If you are leading a manufacturing organization, you cannot ignore that the company is losing money in 3 out of 4 areas because you prefer to read stories and hear feedback about how your consumer base loves your product. Consumers can love your product, and you still be losing money. The key is what the data says and how that leader can use that information to make better decisions to make them profitable and keep their consumer base happy.

Let me close with this as we head further into this new year. Let us all do ourselves a favor and take the time to gather the needed information to make informed decisions. I travel a lot and never book a plane ticket without researching. The cheapest ticket is not always the best option; there is always a reason why it is the cheapest option.

Make it your goal this year as a leader not to gather information based on your personal opinion but to get as much information as possible so you can make the right decisions for your organization and your personal life.