Wednesday, September 25, 2013

A630.4.4.RB_FogartyShawn


After having observed the interview from Harvard’s business school with
Marcia Blenko the argument that decision effectiveness correlates positively with employee engagement and organizational performance was presented (Blenko, 2013). I think that employee engagement directly relates to decision effectiveness. The best of ideas can never achieve fruition if there is no muscle behind it. If the decision is embedded into the organization and the organizational systems support the decision it will carry it own weight. If its merely a good idea and has no bearing it will have no lasting impacts.
The impediments to good decision-making can come in varying degrees and it depends on multiple facets of the decision, personnel it affects and the organizational environment. In a complex and highly turbulent environment it is better to ensure everyone is on the same page and systems can support the decision. Also, the decision needs to be nested with the individuals it affects. If the employees are not behind it even the best of ideas can fail.
In the interview Marcia Blenko suggests that there are four elements of good decisions: quality, speed, yield, and effort (Blenko, 2013). My opinion is there a few things missing however; these will not apply in every decision as each and every decision has its own variables. I would add the internal and external environments and incorporate the resulting impacts within the yield facet of decision-making elements.
            The biggest take-way from this exercise to immediately use in your career is that decisions cannot be made in a vacuum. It is better to staff the decision in order to fully understand the impacts that the decision can have across the organization. Further, decisions have to have merit and also be supported both my organizational systems and personnel. I recall a lot of empty decision being made by leaders within my organization that fell fresh from the good idea tree and were attempted to be implemented, which did not turn out well.

Blenko, M. (2013, October 13). How Companies Can Make Better Decisions, Faster [Video
            file]. Retrieved from
            http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbxpg6D4Hk8&feature=player_embedded

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