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convergence—so you make a timely decision and people unite prior to implementation. There’s the
need to balance advocacy (making convincing arguments) alongside inquiry (asking powerful
questions). There’s having the courage to make tough calls. And having courage to let go, letting
others decide. There’s balancing facts and logical reasoning with intuition. There’s quality versus
speed. The desire to get it right at odds with the need to move on to other things. Review your
decisions over time. Which ways do you tend to lean? What’s been your track record? Aim to strike
the right balance.

Want to learn more? Take a deep dive…

Batista, E. (2013, November 8). Stop worrying about making the right decision. Harvard Business
Review.
Denning, S. (2012, April 24). How are really great decisions actually made? Forbes.
The Staff of the Corporate Executive Board. (2011, December 12). Preventing ‘Analysis Paralysis.’
Bloomberg Businessweek.

Job assignments
• Join a task force making decisions on an important issue, where you will need to share information and
consider the long- and short-term implications for the business.

• Make a strategic decision on where to invest future resources (new markets, new products/services,
etc.). Evaluate alternatives using the best-suited analytical tools combined with the judgment of
experienced stakeholders.
• Be part of a talent review or hiring process, making people decisions for the department or unit as
objectively and unbiased as possible.
• Manage the procurement of important services, equipment, supplies, systems, etc., gathering diverse
input from stakeholders and analyzing the data before making the call.
• Handle a crisis for the organization, requiring you to make a timely decision where all parties will not be
pleased with the outcome.

Take time to reflect…
If you tend to be impulsive and plunge right in…

…then consider that investing time up front can save time later on. If you rush now, you might
have to revise or repair later. Stop. Consider. Choose your direction more wisely.

If your personal views often seem to take precedence…
…then recognize that stepping back from your own views may improve the quality of your
decisions. Gathering the facts and analyzing the information available will help you be far more
objective.

© Korn Ferry 2014-2015. All rights reserved. WWW.KORNFERRY.COM

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