Delayed decisions cost your company (Part 1)

When times are on the up managers often find it quite easy to make decisions about growth and positive changes, but when times are challenging even usually competent managers can find taking decisions difficult. They exhibit indecision (can’t quite make up his/her mind) and procrastination (delaying decisions, putting off taking a decision). These behaviours are major problems in organisations small and large and indecision by managers at any level can lead to
•    Time wasting of staff, waste of materials
•    Stress and conflict between staff,
•    Inadequate services to customers
•    Breakdown of services or production
Even more than this it may be that delaying a decision past the limit to effect changes may mean finally there will be only one decision to take – and that may mean company closure.  Such devastating effects can happen if decisions about reducing expenditure or downsizing for example are not taken in time. Even not taking decisions about changing products or modifying product lines can lead to company failure – and so can staffing disputes if not handled in time.
Decisions need to be TIMELY and CONSIDERED – simple enough to say, but much more complicated in practice. So what can happen to DELAY DECISIONS in practice?
1. Paralysis – A manager faced with what can seem to be overwhelming numbers of facts and choices to make at a crucial time can just give up trying. A decision is just avoided.
2. Compliance – Some middle or junior managers (or even, indeed senior managers in a large organisation) are uncomfortable with being associated with difficult decisions and will say “I’ll leave the decision up to you” or “Anything you say”. This leaves the manager able to say to colleagues who may complain about the decision “Nothing to do with me”.  This is passive aggression and unacceptable.