12.08.2022
ENTREPRENEURSHIP: WHAT WE CAN LEARN FROM NAVY SEALS ABOUT DECISION MAKING
From deciding what to wear to choosing which task to tackle first when we go to work, we make thousands of decisions every day. Some are trivial, but others can have quite serious consequences, both for ourselves and for others. When making these choices, it can be easy to get lost in thought, methodically weighing all the possibilities. While this may seem like a sensible process, it can also lead to a number of missed opportunities. Sometimes you have to make a decision quickly and decisively.
In today's world, we're overwhelmed with information, which causes many people to suffer from what's known as "analysis paralysis," says Ryan Angold, a former Navy SEAL and CEO of military equipment supplier ADS, Inc. “You want to research things and take advantage of all the resources you have access to so you can make the right decision. But you can't be idle forever. At the end of the day, there is no 100% perfect solution,” he says.
"All the solutions are essentially the same," says VMWare Chief Digital Transformation Officer Mike Hayes, who is a former Navy SEAL commander and author of Never Enough: A Navy SEAL Commander on Living a Life of Excellence, Agility, and Meaning'.
During his 20-year career with the SEALs, Hayes has learned that decision-making when it comes to a matter of life and death is no different in process than any low-stakes decision
"Whether I'm making an investment decision about what the company needs to do right now or deciding what actions my SEAL squad needs to take, it all boils down to the same decision-making framework," he says.
Gather feedback, ideas and perspectives
When you're a leader or a high-performing team member, you likely have a built-in experience to draw from
"The requirement in Navy SEALs is to be prepared for many different scenarios, to have trained for operations in the most extreme and to be prepared for the worst," says Angold. "These reference points are useful because they allow you to say, 'OK, we've seen this before.' Maybe the situation isn't identical (it never is), but the experience helps you make quick decisions," he adds.
Gathering feedback from others is key. Hayes, who served as a White House fellow and director of defense policy and strategy on the National Security Council under the Bush and Obama administrations, says it's important to seek out the opinions of people who don't think like you.
"Too often we tend to seek feedback from like-minded people," he says. "When you accept feedback from people who don't think like us, and you foster a culture that encourages the expression of different ideas, it's easier for your team members to say something like, 'I don't think that's a great idea. I would do the following." That framework gives you the ability to arrive at the best decisions," explains Hayes.
"Too many leaders feel they have to make the decision themselves," adds Angold. "Relying on your team is not a sign of weakness. "Strong leaders use their resources," he says.
Decide when to make a choice
"The first part of the decision-making process is actually choosing when to make it," says Hayes. "This is the step where most people go wrong."
Knowing when to make a decision depends on getting the best possible data needed to make a choice as quickly as possible. Sometimes the decision time is 30 seconds, such as deciding when to drop a bomb. Other times the decision time can be two weeks.
"There are times when gathering more information is helpful in making a decision, but in other situations you have to act on instinct," Hayes explains.
Waiting too long can also affect the decision, Angold says. "You can't sit on one forever," he says. "People are waiting for you to make a choice because other decisions may depend on it. Sometimes, if you delay too long, the effect of making the right decision is lost because you missed the right moment,” he adds.
Be prepared for adjustments
There is always the possibility that you have made the wrong decision. Hayes and Angold say humility will help you both make the right decision and deal with the situation you'll find yourself in if you get it wrong.
"When making decisions, many senior executives let their egos dictate the rules," says Hayes. "They think that backing away from the position they've taken will make them look bad." You have to be comfortable with the idea of saying, “There's new information, let me review it. We may have to change course, he adds.
According to him, this is the clearest sign of good leadership, because it shows that the leader is ready to put the organization before himself and make the right decision.
Angold shares his view. "It takes a lot of humility to admit that you made the wrong decision," he says. “This is where communication and that transparency with your team is important. You can gain a lot of extra trust from your people when you admit your mistakes,” he adds.
Source: Manager magazine
