How Leaders Make Decisions

How Leaders Make Decisions

Your table will be assigned one pair of these 10 Primary Decision Making Types. Your task is to discuss positive, beneficial aspects of each, even if they contrast or contradict each other or you currently would have difficulty using either or both.  Then choose an example of when you could use each of them in your department or agency, separately.

TELLING
I have made a/the decision, this is it
(no input from employees)

PRESENTING
This is the decision I have made, and this is
why it is a good one for you to follow or use.
(no input from employees)

REQUESTING
Here’s what we are going to do. What do you
think about it? (asks for input from afterward)

CONSULTING
I’m thinking of a possible solution, how might
I improve or alter it for the better? (asks for
input that could effect the solution)

INVOLVING
Here’s the problem, tell me your ideas and
I’ll base my decision on your input.
(involves input)

TEAMING UP
Here’s the full situation and the constraints,
􀀺􀀻􀁃􀀁􀀸􀀱􀁀􀁉􀀿􀀁􀀹􀀭􀀷􀀱􀀁􀁀􀀴􀀱􀀁􀁊􀀺􀀭􀀸􀀁􀀰􀀱􀀯􀀵􀀿􀀵􀀻􀀺􀀁􀁀􀀻􀀳􀀱􀁀􀀴􀀱􀀾􀀉(joint input and decision)

SHARING
I know you are responsible. You know your duties.
I trust you to go and make the decision.

EMPOWERING
You are responsible. It’s your area. Analyze the
situation and make the decision. Let me know
if you need help and the results.

DELEGATING
It’s your area. It’s your decision to make.
Keep me completely aware of what you decide.

RELEASING
It is completely your responsibility.
Do what you determine is best.
Keep me informed.

Here is the exercise sheet that I handed out for this team activity

After discussion all ten of these Decision Making Approaches I led the discussion towards Management and Leading Theory from the 1950s into the late 80s

Theory X

Theory Y

Theory Z

and showed where these 10 Decision Making Approaches fit which theories.

One of my premises is that Highly Successful, Effective, Productive and Creative Leaders from Supervisor to CEO truly need to be able to use all 10 Decision Making Approaches and ALL 3 Theories to reach their goals.

Authority, Responsibility, Control each need to be delegated in varying degrees based upon the challenge, the timing, the individuals involved.

Theory X Leadership tends to be Authoritarian with Dictatorship to the far left of the chart

Theory Y Leadership tends to be TEAM Leadership, shared leadership

Theory Z Leadership tends towards becoming Self-Leadership

The reality in most workplaces is that all three are necessary because the workers and managers may not all be able to work under all three.  Yes some people truly need to be MANAGED

at least part of the time.  Also Yes come people work best when they are in nearly complete control of themselves and their work

That is when the role of the leader becomes COORDINATOR, PROVIDER, GUIDE.