Decision making an art or science

1. Seventh Int. Conf. on Opers. & Quant. Management August 3-5, 2006
. 1
( A460)
Decision making - An Art or Science?
Dr Vijayam Ravi,
Director, Education, Raymond Ltd
Thane, Maharashtra,
India
vijayamravi@vsnl.net
drvgravi@gmail.com
Every human being is empowered with the élan vital- the creative spark which ignites his creativity and
intuitive spirit, when he is confronted with a dilemma. The élan vital has been the root cause for creation of any
thing and everything in this world. Some call it intuition, while others call it insight. . A leader depends on his
creative intellectual skills to make right decisions. Decision making is an art of making right choices. It is in the
analysis of risk that it becomes scientific. So decision making is both an art and science in itself with a scope
for objectivity
Key words
Élan vital, Leader, Decision making, Choices, Risk-analysis
1. Introduction
This paper tries to asses the parameters of decision making and the effectiveness of a leader in making the
right kind of choices. As such the paper declares that decision making process is an earnest trial for finding out
uncertainties about the future and suggesting the need to identify the scarcities that exist in the current scenario.
Philosophically speaking this rise requires the touch of a leader and hence the paper looks at leadership also as
an issue in decision making.
Life is full of choices. Man has innumerable opportunities to explore the choices and challenges .Man has
the instinct to evolve. This is what Aristotle has proved. He says the embryo has an urge to grow into a chick.
Darwin says in his theory of evolution that man started his journey as an amoeba and is now man . We see an
evolution-an upward evolution. Never ever was this process a static one. This evolution of man was a
dynamic one. This urge to grow, is present in every human being. This urge is to grow upward and not side
ward or down ward.
This evolutionary growth of the inner consciousness or creative intellect is like an electric current and this
moves us all. This is called the élan vital- the vital spark says, Henri Bergson. This élan vital is immortal and
it does not perish. The most important thing that is required in any leader is this Creative Intellect or Élan
vital . This creative intellect provides the leader with a spirit of innovation. If the spirit of innovation is there in
a leader he will create a group that will always look for challenges. When there is a quest for challenges in the
work arena, enthusiasm to work increases and that keeps the organization at the pinnacle of success. Creativity
and innovation in decision making have become inevitable characteristic of a good leader.
2. Leadership and Decision making
Only the Paranoids survive, when a company faces crisis , says Andrew Grove, CEO of Intel corporation.
Success of an organization depends on how much material and intellectual wealth, emotional stability and self
worth it can create for its people. The role of the leader in creating such a climate is immensely significant. An

2. Seventh Int. Conf. on Opers. & Quant. Management August 3-5, 2006
. 2
environment of openness, meritocracy, speed, imagination and excellence in execution are only five context
invariant and time invariant attributes for the success of the corporation says, N R Narayanmoorthy of Infosys.
This clearly shows the necessity for a vision and focused effort of a great leader. The leader has to make correct
and appropriate decisions that will help the organization thrive or go ahead. High qualifications and knowledge
about work alone do not make a leader. The practical knowledge about the organization, the capacity to take the
team along, motivating every individual to perform by striking the élan vital in him and is able to take decisions
quickly are the hall marks of successful leadership. Organization s success depends on the tone set by the leader
says Peter Senge. Decision Making is the most difficult task of a leader in any organization.
3. What is Decision making ?
We can say it in a simple language as one of the characteristics of an efficient leader. But what is it? Can we
say making the right kind of choices? Or should we say fixing up problems ? In any issue that needs a final
settlement, the leader has many assumptions to make. I feel decision making is the commitment towards
uncertainties. There are organized patterns of strategies in all companies that will bring sure success to the
organizations. Hence it is very easy for all managers to follow the past experiences to gain their objectives. But
future need not be always like the past is a lesson that he/she has to remember while making very clear
decisions. This makes it absolutely necessary that the leaders make decisions that align the organizational goals
which keep up with the external world. Every problem has its solutions in itself. As such there is no decision
that can be considered as small because every decision has certainly an impact on a system or individuals.
Because of this inter disciplinary characteristic of decisions, it becomes increasingly important that the decisions
are taken only after due weightage being given to various assumptions. These assumptions are either
individually assumed or created on the basis of available information on the issues. The brain works on the input
given to it and hence it may be sometimes biased. Hence it is very important that the leader has a clear frame
work for decision making. He has to sharpen his creative thinking skills. The brain has to analyze issues and
synthesize new knowledge in the form of a decision. There are certain essentials in taking a decision MUSTS,
SHOULDS AND MIGHTS, says John Adair.
There is a term known as collective decision making . It is very difficult to say whether such a term is ever
possible in reality. A leader can certainly call for suggestions when confronted with a serious or crucial problem
that is affecting his organization s growth. The team also can give valuable inputs. But finally the one word
called decision is always single and can be attributed to the leader at the helm of affairs. The group can come
to a consensus but the act is individualistic. With out a hierarchy a decision is impossible. It may be true that
only after a consensus; it is being implemented as decision. Yet the act is done by the leader and he owns this
decision. In the end the fundamental decisions a leader makes are decisions of character says Alex Kroll. The
last decisions are the loneliest. The leader has no book to refer. Hence individual style, corporate culture,
organizations style, personality all may be required for correct decision. The style in which he handles the
decision making process, displays the leader s integrity. Integrity is an ability to stand by one s own decision to
implement and evaluate. It is his élan vital that gives him the direction.
4. How does decision making become an art?
A problem is a solution in disguise, says John Adair. He says that the elements of the solutions are already
there in the problem and what one has to do is only to fix or rearrange the elements so that it becomes a solution.
This is a skill and hence an art. This involves an open atmosphere in work and a large heart to listen to others
and above all a skill to look for details and minute information. It is this minute information that becomes
sometimes vital corner stone in the decision making. A great leader will have an eye for every small detail and
he does not consider any thing as small. He will ask innumerable questions that may sometimes look to be
irrelevant and silly from a superficial point. These questions lead to so many dark areas where one may not have
travelled so far but will certainly throw light into the actual problems that exist at hand.
It is here the élan vital of the leader comes to the forefront. His creativity is awakened and he starts thinking
out of the box. Creative thinking goes on with a preparation, incubation, insight and validation. Morgan D.Jones
talks about Decision making tree in his book The thinker s tool kit . He says, various steps in problem
solving involve identifying the problem and alternatives for each issue and constructing a tree portraying all
important alternatives. He continues to say that the tree is a powerful analytical tool. E.H McGrath, S.J says, in
decision making the leader or the manager has to always define the options and decide the actions. Asking
questions about what has to be done, how it has to be done, what are the alternatives available to the team all

3. Seventh Int. Conf. on Opers. & Quant. Management August 3-5, 2006
. 3
these are part of defining the problem. The alternatives could be Musts and wants . There is a saying
Managers do things right: Leaders do right things
One can not escape decision making. McGrath, continues to say that Rationality, Acceptability and Time as
the three important factors in decision making. Autocratic decisions, Consultative decisions, Joint decisions are
the three styles in which one can take decisions. In any joint decisions there should be constructive disagreement
and not debating! A true leader evaluates resources, criteria and consequences, to reach a decision. The Power
to Change by Rachel Kelly, McKee and Bruce Carlson, says that a 9,9 leadership always makes all the team
members involved in the decision making and is not tired of making difficult decisions. Each team member is
free to explore the alternatives, disagree with each other and even challenge the ideas. There is always high level
of mutual trust and respect, available in such teams. One essential thing that turns up in such involved team is
the commitment and conviction about the decision taken by the leader. There is no cribbing about the decision
later by any member.
People sometimes ask you, say yes or no - and you know it is very difficult to say. Why? Because, it
means you are giving up something valuable in the hands of others to judge you or your act. Some times the
leader may have to become a Devil s advocate One may have to focus on challenging some one s view point.
Why, he may have to challenge his own suggestions or decisions. Collective suggestions from his team may
come forth, but his judgment is final and binding on the organization. What happens is a critical analysis of the
situation and a merciless introspection of one s own act! The moment it takes place, then there is nothing to
worry, the Choices emerge. These choices are seemingly right solutions for the existing problem. The
creativity of the leader again comes to help him in picking up those choices; that are going to have an impact on
the organization in a positive way.
Looking for the right choice is an art because it needs an eye for specialties or exclusiveness. Some kind
of intuition works well here in picking up the exclusive choice. This also makes a difference to the customers
because it creates a value for them. If the decision making of the leader has created a change in the customer
preferences, that is indicative of creation of values for him. This is hence an art . Looking for the right choice is
exactly what is called as decision making .
Decision making, hence is an art.
5. How does decision making becomes scientific?
There are winners because there is uncertainty: without uncertainty, there can be no winners. Therefore
instead of seeing uncertainty as a problem, we should start viewing it as our basic source of future success , says
the book The Sixth Sense . In any kind of choices, there is always certain amount of risk factor involved.
There are so many external risk factors, like the economic policies of the Government, Technology
obsolescence, Inflation, Cost structure, Political environment, Lack of research in the field concerned etc. There
can be internal risk factors too like HR Management, Culture, Values of the organization, Leadership, Executive
styles, Intellectual property etc. Now, while taking a decision, the leader has to weigh all these parameters and
try to nullify risk factors as far as possible. The leader has to envisage the future ahead of time and should have
experienced the future. This is the essence of leadership in decision making.
Scientific attitude is something that highlights the need for an objective and analytical view of an issue in
question. While discussing this issue, the leader has to be non-judgmental, factual and unbiased. He may not
know the outcomes at the beginning. Yet it is the élan vital which ignites the process of inquiry within paving
way for clear rational thinking, leading to significant decision making. This scientific approach is applied in the
analysis of risk factors too, by a true leader.
So after picking up the plausible choices, the next stage in decision making is Assessing the risk factors .
Assessing risk is a very difficult task. One of the primary criteria that one requires is objectivity . With out
inhibition about any thing, the possible risks are to be tabled and analyzed. Here also the involvement and
commitment of the team members is important. Avoiding the analysis of risk factors is suicidal as it may prove
to be fatal to the organization. It is here it becomes Scientific . Why it is scientific? One must analyze the
points in favor and against. Examine consequences both positive and negative. Suggest proposed course. Weigh
the risk factor. Also say how one can come out if it turned negative. A tremendous amount of will power is
needed here for the leader to project the risk factors as a challenge or an opportunity to prove the worth of it.

4. Seventh Int. Conf. on Opers. & Quant. Management August 3-5, 2006
. 4
In analyzing risks, decision making is a Science
Very often this scientific approach is shrouded by biases and few leaders start owning decisions as their own
pet projects with out any concern about risks. What is required is hence an artistic skill for making right kind of
choices and later an eye for analysis of consequences or risks. Thus decision making is an art as well as a
science.
6. What prevails in organizations?
In an organization difficulty comes in decision making, when too many confronting ideas arise from the
group and too many owning up their decisions as the best. In such an event, what normally a leader attempts to
do is to arrive at a consensus, trying to appease those who refuse to budge. He does this to avoid any
confrontation. Times have changed and people are no more the same. Hence, the time tested decision making
processes may not work well in all cases. In some other cases we can see the leader compromising also. If there
is a trouble shooting up still, then the leader may decide to defer his judgment. There are some other leaders
who are scared of criticisms and confrontations. What they do is to avoid such confrontations by taking a middle
path if the decision to be taken is tough. Or they may try to please the person who is a loud mouth. There are
some other leaders who are autocratic and take decisions with out even informing his colleagues about the
problem and push the decision down the throat of his staff.
In all these cases what we see is a clear sign of fear in areas that involve crucial decisions. Why? These
decisions involve certain amount of risk. We have examples of crucial decisions taken by Andrew Grove, when
Intel Corporation was facing a serious problem in the 90 s. The success story of Intel today is due to the risk
taken by the leader then. We have Tetra pack providing customer value which proved to be the edge for it. How
did it originate? Crucial decisions are always painful and risky. There are no short cuts to these decision
makings. Good group participation depends on the kind of Trust the leader has created in his people/ staff. It
involves, the working relationship that prevails in the organization, opportunities offered to staff in decision
making processes, opportunities for challenges in their work and above all a professional and ethical work
culture. If the employees do not look at their Boss as an anchor of support, the whole process of decision
making suffers.
There is no surety that all decisions will be sure shot success. Sometimes things may go wrong totally. The
manager or the leader at this point of time, should be able to clearly address that scarcity in the decision making
process which brought the failure. The leader may have to revisit the market judgments, customer relations,
product focus and sometimes the strategies even.
Confusion at the helm of affairs also influences the process. Hence leadership is very important to decision
making. Delay that too undue delay in decision making will do much harm to the organization than the havoc
that it would have caused if the decision proved to be a failure. Many organizations, today suffer due to delayed
decisions. It keeps the staff with a lack of direction and this interval is enough to lower the morale of the staff.
The conventional styles of accommodative leadership or opportunistic leadership are redundant now.
7. Conclusion
Decision making is a Science in methodology, Art in its application. Both are complementary. The true
leader empowers the individual to own up the organization and there by helps him to make decisions by being
behind the screen. This is an Art. This needs to be developed. And the latter part of fearlessness in decision
making, that is integral to a leadership, is the result of a pure scientific approach. Science does not allow any
fear. It paves opportunities for challenges and there by makes one objective. Unfortunately, organizations today,
face a crunch for such leaders.
What we need today is leaders who look for uncertainties and who challenge those uncertainties by
addressing the scarcities in the scenario of business. Probably this is the élan vital search!

5. Seventh Int. Conf. on Opers. & Quant. Management August 3-5, 2006
. 5
________________________________________________________________________
Bibliography
1. Henri Bergson, (1941), Living Biographies of Great Philosophers -by Henry Thomas and Dana Lee
Thomas, Halcyon House, New York.
2. Alex Kroll (2003), Tactics- the art and science of Success- by Edward de Bono profile books ltd
3. John Adair (2000), Decision making and problem solving-universities press ltd
4. Morgan D.Jones (1998) The thinker s tool kit, Random House
5. Rachel Kelly McKee and Bruce Carlson (1999), The Power to Change , Grid International
6. E.H McGrath, S.J ((1998),, Basic Managerial Skills for All , Prentice Hall India.
7. Kees van der Heijden, (2002), The Sixth Sense , John Wiley & Sons Ltd
8. Andrew.S.Grove, (2003), Only the Paranoid Survive ,HarperCollins Publishers
9. Peter Senge, (2000), Schools that Learn , Double Lady publications

6. This document was created with Win2PDF available at http://www.daneprairie.com.
The unregistered version of Win2PDF is for evaluation or non-commercial use only.