Success is a 50/50 proposition. Half of success is making the right decision. Half of success is being able to execute the decision.
Mission Enablers works with nonprofits of all types helping them to build their capacity to serve and increase their sustainability. Many of the nonprofits we work with are struggling. We help them find the path to success while building their capacity to serve.
One of the reasons that our clients invite us into the discussion is because of bad decisions or poor execution. No one intentionally makes bad decisions. We all do the pre-decision making analysis the same way. We gather the facts, look at the facts we gathered, and draw the best conclusion we can.
Where the process fails us is in the fact gathering. Before we make a decision, we list our options. One option usually looks better than the others do. Having selected the preferred path, we now begin the fact gathering. Our natural bias is to gather the facts that support our preferred path.
I am willing to bet that the preferred path is the best decision. Gathering facts that support it lowers the probability of success. Our experience tells us, intuitively, what the best path is. However, we need facts to convenience others. We assume they want to know why we chose this path.
A better process is to study the other choices and list the reasons they are good choices. Identifying the strengths of the other options has a different purpose than advocating for the path. If X is a good reason to choose path A, it is also a weakness of your selected path. How will you overcome the weakness?
Knowing how to over come the weakness makes your selected path stronger. Strengthening your path is the best way to ensure success. Now you are ready for what might go wrong.
Without this process, you are likely to be surprised at some point. How many times have you heard someone say, “This would have worked if X had never happened.” They forgot to look for X. When X happens, it derails everything. When that happens enough failure follows.
Every decision is a career altering experience. Good decisions build your career. Bad decisions still alter your career.
If you are concerned about your ability to analyze the alternatives objectively, assign each alternative to an associate. It is a better process because it builds the knowledge of the whole team. A team prepared for most contingency is better than one well-prepared individual.
As always, if you want help contact us.
