Should one make an important decision alone?
Decision-making is a common phenomenon each one of us undergoes in our daily life. Its magnitude varies from trivial issues like choice of a daily wardrobe to making a crucial corporate decision involving millions of dollars. A decision may have its implications ranging from a single person to the entire universe. Hence it is very important to making a correct decision. But I have a mixed feeling when it comes to the choice of making a decision collectively or as a single person. I feel that the decision making process cannot have its hard and fast rules but has to be tailor made to suit a situation. Hence a decision may have to be personally made or in consultation with others as demanded by the situation.
I would like to analyze the decision-making methodology in its two ramifications, one involving personal interests and the other for common issues involving business, political or environmental significance.
Every person is different and has the rights to make his own destiny. It is this quality of uniqueness which makes the mankind so special. We are the best judges when it comes to making personal decisions, for no one can understand a person better than himself. There are many things in life such as selection of a life partner, or choosing a career that are specific to the taste and likings of an individual. It is always useful to hear the opinion of our well-wishers regarding the deciding issue. However the individual should take final decision after carefully weighing all options. It not only gives us the self-confidence, but also institutes the responsibility in us to live by our decision.
Things are quite different when it comes to decision making involving business, political or environmental issues. The decision made in these cases has serious consequences than that of the personal issues. It puts at stake the wealth, safety and future of many others directly or indirectly involved in these issues. It is here the concept of teamwork, Special knowledge etc come into picture.
When taking decision on a business activity, it is always better to have a brainstorming session of all the involved persons to discuss about the issue. It gives the best possible decision after carefully analyzing all the possibilities, with the concurrence of the team. Also all the members involved in the decision-making are clear about their individual roles in contributing to the success of the decision.
There are some cases, where expert knowledge and experiences required in taking the decisions. In such cases one can resort to the help of the experts or the consulting agencies for the correct solutions. The decision suggested by the consultants can be expected to be more suitable, since most decisions suggested by the experts/consultants are either by scientific methods or based on a reliable statistical data of the past. Consultants are available in almost all fields such as engineering, finance, law, insurance etc to name a few.
Also when it comes to taking decisions that are of international importance, the governing bodies such as the United Nations Organization insist on a Veto for decision-making. This method of decision-making ensures that the decisions are in the interests of the member countries.
Hence going by the above decisions, one can take the liberty to chose by self when it comes to personal issues. However when it involves decisions beyond the individual, one should always be a part of the decision making team constructively facilitating the decision, which lies in the best interests of everyone involved.
