Make Your Decisions Better by Small Tweaks in Communication
Decisions are sometimes surreal.
Do you have trouble to decide? And what if you have to decide together with someone?
It is a mess.
Business people say: “Two heads are better than one.” But that cannot go without misunderstandings and vivid discussions.
We recently bought a new bed for my daughter. It took us quite some time to agree. When we finally ordered it, it was a relief and happiness. Until we discovered we had misunderstood each other and potentially made a mistake.
Gosh. Not again.
This newsletter discusses four common communication issues you face every day. If you tweak them, your decisions will be better.
1. Loose ends
Opinion A
Opinion B
Have you ever left a conversation thinking everything is clear? But actually, no one confirmed the final decision. A or B?
Person 1 likely thinks it’s A, and person 2 thinks it’s B. That’s a loose end.
Loose ends hinder the decision-making process because you never know. Is everything clear to everyone? Do people understand the decision? Do they know why it was made like this?
In business, loose ends often make deadlines tricky and raise confusion. When decisions aren’t fully confirmed, people may walk away with different understandings of what was agreed upon.
Loose ends lead to misalignment and frustration.
The tweak is to summarize the decision, confirm responsibilities, and ensure everyone is on the same page.
Never leave a meeting without confirmed decisions. It does improve efficiency in communication when you invest in closing loose ends.
2. Assumptions
Communication likes turning into assumptions. We assume more than we think.
Our brain loves taking shortcuts. You assume the other person understands what you mean. They assume you know what they want.
What’s wrong with this?
Our brains naturally fill in gaps with what seems most likely based on past experiences, biases, or incomplete information (who would bother, right?). We assume others share our priorities and expectations, but we don’t verify them.
This leads to miscommunication, false choices, and well, conflicts. Others also assume we share their priorities.
Hilarious! But, sadly true.
We risk making decisions based on inaccurate or missing information. Hello, wasted time, mistakes, and stress.
3. Second-guessing
Second-guessing slows down decision-making. From confidence to stress.
When you keep doubting your choices, you, yet again, waste time, overanalyze, and risk missing deadlines or opportunities.
Second-guessing is not just hesitation, it is a direct road to frustration. All these “we need to get data for that.” “We need to make tests first.” is good but not when you act like “and this, and that, and this we have to consider, too”.
You will never have all the data because it becomes out-of-date quickly. Problems are way too complex in some cases to be sure.
Yes, making a decision comes with risk. Get your shoulders ready.
One tweak against second-guessing is to define the infamous, but useful ‘good enough’ parameter. Instead of chasing a perfect decision, aim for one that is informed, reasonable, and actionable.
Trust the process, trust the people you choose, and limit input overload (you don’t need your whole team to help you decide, limit who has a say in the final decision).
4. Satisfaction vs. confusion
What happened to us with the bed can happen during business conversations, too. Imagine walking away thinking you’re on the same page. Only to realize later that each person had a different understanding.
Satisfaction and ‘good work’ are replaced by confusion.
To avoid rework and frustration, be mindful of what your party wants. What do they need and why? Understand their needs, business, and position.
Making decisions better means making sure people are involved and leaving on a positive note.
What is more satisfying than finding a solution that works for everyone? To achieve that, always make sure you answer these:
Who is doing what?
Why are we doing it?
By when?
Just to confirm, we’re going with XY, and the next step is AB, right?
Satisfaction is not a luxury. It is a small positive tweak in your communication that will make your decision clear.
TL;DR
Assume people don’t understand you. So, always make sure they do. Even, if you have to repeat and re-confirm what has been agreed on.
You would be surprised how little is clear after a one-hour meeting. Things can get lost. If you don’t want to do backtracking, make it crystal clear from the beginning.
That is the only way people feel confident and satisfied about their decisions.
Have a good one, Ivona
On the menu:
Monday Case Study: Meetings With Different Personalities
Thursday Newsletter: Why Bashing Your Boss Behind Closed Doors Is a Trust Killer