Learning Objectives
In this module, you will learn how to make decisions that are good for you and others. You will learn how to identify and analyze different options and consequences. You will also learn how to use your values and principles to guide your decisions.
Garvin and Roberto (2001) discuss how decision-making can determine a leader’s mettle within an organization.
In their work, Garvin and Roberto (2001) argue that advocacy is a failing approach fraught with inadequate approaches that not only lack the quality of consideration of better ideas but the investment at a personal level impacts the leader’s organizational position as they allow their personal views control them over what was ultimately best for the organization. In today’s world, this type of leader will try to surround themselves with those who are happy to pay them ‘lip service’ and create an echo chamber that quickly stifles new thoughts or ideas and dissenting views altogether. A contrasting point of view by Garvin and Roberto (2001) is the inquiry approach, which has the goal of incorporating the ideas of the group and outside sources to create a process of decision-making that allows the best solutions and approaches to solving complex problems and having flexible alternatives available in the event one approach doesn’t work. I liken it to a ship captain who has a broad goal of sailing from the outer banks of North Carolina to the South Pacific island of Okinawa and laying out the best route to re-supply, avoid any obstacles, storms, or doldrums, using the team, in this case, an experienced crew that has different ideas and creating a route that is focused on the primary goal of arriving safely and as quickly as possible and having alternatives based on feedback from the team.