A635.2.3.RB_MaceRoyce
Employee engagement clearly relates to decision effectiveness. The sharing of information, communicating goals, communicating vision, and creating a "buy-in" culture in of itself can lead to empowerment and decisions made at all levels. As long as the organization has communicated expected standards, norms, culture, and morals, most employees who feels a sense of empowerment will make well thought-out decisions with the company's interest in mind. The absence of the aforementioned factors will clearly be an impediment for organizational decision-making.
Without the clear guidance of expected organizational standards, norms, culture, and morals, employees cannot be expected to always make the "right" decision. At least with a set of standards, realistic decision making tools are available and can curb decisions that don't align themselves with organizational goals.
In my experience as a military member, a set of guiding principles has always made it easier to make decisions within my organization. For example, the Air Force's three core values: "integrity first", "service before self", and "excellence in all we do" have helped me make decisions that are most nearly aligned with my organization. Before making any decision, I immediately revert back to these core values and apply them to my decisions. Is the decision honest (integrity first)? Is the decision focused on my organization rather than me as an individual (service before self)? And lastly, is the decision made one that is made with excellence (considering all factors and using all tools at one's disposal to make a sound decision)? These core values have truly helped me in making more quality decisions over the course of my 13+ year Air Force career.
If I could add to Blenko's elements of good decision making, I would most certainly add "morality" to the list and make it the first element to consider. Without making a decision wrapped in morality, how can it be a solid decision to begin with? Morality can be considered subjective in many scenarios by the individual, but our organization's norms, standards, and culture can assist the individual in making moralistic decision that comply with ethical societal standards.
Halberstam (2006) states:
"Legalizing abortion, preemptive war, raising the minimum wage—about which we do little more than pontificate, the problems of everyday ethics call for our own resolutions. But how do we arrive at our judgments? For example, in answering the questions above, do you have a quick, intuitive response about what is proper, or do you consider broader moral principles and then derive a solution?"
Based on this stance and within the organizational construct, I think it is important to let broader moral principles assist us in making the decisions that we apply organizationally. At the same time, we must be ready to apply our own moral principles to the decisions we make on behalf of our organizations. For example, what if I as an individual feel pressure from my organization to make a morally questionable decision that would only benefit the organization without due regard for others (customers, third parties, etc.)?
We must consider that our decisions require a two-pronged approach. The BEST decisions will be those that utilize a systematic decision-making approach on both an individual and organizational level. If anything, reflecting on how better decisions can be made has taught me to use both my own elemental standards paired with those elements required by my organization. If they do not match or don't seem to mesh well, go back to the drawing board and reassess the situation before making another attempt. Lastly, if all else fails, use my chain of command or supervisory chain to receive additional decision-making assistance.
References
Halberstam, J. (2006). Right and wrong in the real world. Retrieved from
https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/right_and_wrong_in_the_real_world
Without the clear guidance of expected organizational standards, norms, culture, and morals, employees cannot be expected to always make the "right" decision. At least with a set of standards, realistic decision making tools are available and can curb decisions that don't align themselves with organizational goals.
In my experience as a military member, a set of guiding principles has always made it easier to make decisions within my organization. For example, the Air Force's three core values: "integrity first", "service before self", and "excellence in all we do" have helped me make decisions that are most nearly aligned with my organization. Before making any decision, I immediately revert back to these core values and apply them to my decisions. Is the decision honest (integrity first)? Is the decision focused on my organization rather than me as an individual (service before self)? And lastly, is the decision made one that is made with excellence (considering all factors and using all tools at one's disposal to make a sound decision)? These core values have truly helped me in making more quality decisions over the course of my 13+ year Air Force career.
If I could add to Blenko's elements of good decision making, I would most certainly add "morality" to the list and make it the first element to consider. Without making a decision wrapped in morality, how can it be a solid decision to begin with? Morality can be considered subjective in many scenarios by the individual, but our organization's norms, standards, and culture can assist the individual in making moralistic decision that comply with ethical societal standards.
Halberstam (2006) states:
"Legalizing abortion, preemptive war, raising the minimum wage—about which we do little more than pontificate, the problems of everyday ethics call for our own resolutions. But how do we arrive at our judgments? For example, in answering the questions above, do you have a quick, intuitive response about what is proper, or do you consider broader moral principles and then derive a solution?"
Based on this stance and within the organizational construct, I think it is important to let broader moral principles assist us in making the decisions that we apply organizationally. At the same time, we must be ready to apply our own moral principles to the decisions we make on behalf of our organizations. For example, what if I as an individual feel pressure from my organization to make a morally questionable decision that would only benefit the organization without due regard for others (customers, third parties, etc.)?
We must consider that our decisions require a two-pronged approach. The BEST decisions will be those that utilize a systematic decision-making approach on both an individual and organizational level. If anything, reflecting on how better decisions can be made has taught me to use both my own elemental standards paired with those elements required by my organization. If they do not match or don't seem to mesh well, go back to the drawing board and reassess the situation before making another attempt. Lastly, if all else fails, use my chain of command or supervisory chain to receive additional decision-making assistance.
References
Halberstam, J. (2006). Right and wrong in the real world. Retrieved from
https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/right_and_wrong_in_the_real_world
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