| Volume 5, Issue 9 - September, 2006
Leadership, motivation, strategy, and LEAN are a few of the topics that have been the basis for many popular keynotes, seminars, workshops and retreats.
These are extremely important subjects worthy of the attention they have received, but in the overall scheme of things, there is a critical and more
basic subject that has been overlooked.
Decision-making is the basis of everything we do. There isn’t an endeavor that we undertake that doesn’t begin with a decision. Nothing
happens until there is a decision, yet how much do we really know about the process? How good are we at decision-making? How many decisions did you
make last year? Last week? Yesterday?
What percentage of your decisions were successful? How many were bad and what did it cost you?
How many of you have people working for you making decisions every day? What is their success rate? What is that costing you?
We spend billions on education to better prepare us for our work, yet how many of you can actually say that you have studied decision-making?
We are expending a tremendous amount of time and money measuring the output of our manufacturing processes in an effort to achieve a quality level
of Six Sigma or 99.9% product within specification. Yet we have a decision-making process that according to research by Paul Nutt at Ohio State reveals
only a 50% success rate.
To make matters worse, Teradata in their Fourth Annual Survey of Senior Business Executives revealed that there has been an “explosion in
data and decision-making” that is here to stay. The stakes are high with the top casualties of poor decision-making being profits, company
reputation, long term growth, customer service, morale, productivity and revenue.
Edward Russo and Paul Schoemaker in their book “Winning Decisions” point out why decision-making, is becoming even more challenging:
- TMI or Information Overload. Information is plentiful, but much of it is conflicting and reliability is questionable.
- Rising Uncertainty. 9/11 and the situation in the Middle East are great examples of the uncertainty facing us today.
- Few historical precedents. Virtual organizations and the digital revolution are so new that they leave us with little experience to guide us.
- Fewer experienced decision makers. Flatter organizations are forcing decisions to be made at lower levels.
- More opportunities for miscommunication. The Internet and Cell phones make communication constantly available while cross functional and international
endeavors provide more opportunities for misunderstanding.
The truth is, if you do what you have always done, you will not get what you always got. It will be much worse. Given that “Decisions fail
half of the time,” doesn’t it make sense that a better decision-making process would be a huge advantage. Call (866) 598-8450 to find
out how to improve your decision-making and gain a competitive advantage.
| 10. |
Over 30 years of experience working for different companies, in different industries means that you benefit from the collective
wisdom of these organizations and industries.
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| 9. |
With a B.A., an M.B.A. and advanced studies at the Weatherhead School of Management means that you benefit from the training and discipline
that comes from these scholarly endeavors.
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| 8. |
Since past performance is a predictor of future performance, Bob’s track record of success means that Bob can produce similar results
for your organization.
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| 7. |
Bob’s skills as a professional communicator means that your organization will quickly learn and adopt the necessary steps to enhance performance
and profitability.
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| 6. |
Certification in “Igniting Positive Change in Business & Society” from the Weatherhead School of Management means that your
organization will benefit from a proven process to rapidly initiate change on a large scale.
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5. The Certified Management Consultant (CMC) designation is internationally recognized and has been awarded to fewer than 1% of all active professional
management consultants in the United States. This insures that you are working with a true professional in his field.
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| 4. |
Being a co-founder of an Internet E-commerce company that survived the dot bomb era is just one example of Bob’s unusual awareness of
new technology and the latest thinking that has proven to provide benefits for employers and clients alike.
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| 3. |
In addition to being described as professional, Bob has frequently been referred to as comfortable. This means that he can work effectively
in your organization at every level from the janitorial staff to the corporate boardroom.
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| 2. |
Creativity demonstrated by his U.S. Patent Number 4,238,871 or getting $1 million worth of advertising exposure on a $500,000 budget means that
you are going to get more than just conventional wisdom when you hire Bob.
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| 1. |
Bob has chosen to work as a sole provider which means that he can provide real value to his clients since there isn’t a fancy office and
staff to support. When additional help is needed, Bob has access to a network of other independent providers upon whom he can call as needed. |
If you have a subject that you would like to see covered in future issues of “Taking Aim,” please send me an email at aim@CannonAdvantage.com.
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Robert E. Cannon
Management Consultant
13985 Aquilla Road
Burton, OH 44021 USA
866.598.8450 phone/v-mail
440.834.1052 facsimile
aim@cannonadvantage.com
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“Don’t wait for a light to appear at the end of the tunnel, stride down there…and light the bloody thing yourself.”
Sara Henderson
“The happy and efficient people in this world are those who accept trouble as a normal detail of human life and resolve to capitalize on
it when it comes along.”
H. Bertram Lewis
“Define your future by your dreams and not by your memories, by your hopes and not by your fears.”
Joe Tye
Cowardice asks, “Is it safe?” Expediency asks, “Is it politic?” Vanity asks, “Is it popular?” But conscience
asks, “Is it right?”
Unknown
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