Beyond Decision Rights: What Most Decision Processes Get Wrong

Today in business, the “advocacy-approval” process is the norm for decision making.

You’re likely to have participated many times yourself: A champion presents a proposal; the decision-making body pokes hard to find holes and correct assumptions. If the advocate can convince the deciders, they win! If not, it’s back to the drawing board.

But simply put, the advocacy-approval decision process is wrong.

  • It leads to a competition among people rather than among alternatives
  • Meaningful alternatives are often rejected too soon in favor of the champion’s preferred choice
  • It amplifies common biases such as selective attention and confirming evidence.
  • It leads to a “satisficing” decision instead of finding the best

To foster a collaborative search for the highest-value opportunity, one that doesn’t leave value on the table, look beyond conventional “decision rights” to assign clear responsibility for reaching a quality decision.

This webinar looks at the decision quality role and the decision workflow as part of an effective process for ensuring a high-quality decision that has the engagement and support of the organization. We demonstrate how to extend processes such as RACI and RAPID to drive to decision quality.

Speakers

Carl Spetzler, SDGCarl Spetzler is an author, speaker, and consultant with more than 40 years of experience working with top management and boards to make value-creating strategic decisions in the face of uncertainty. He is the lead author of Decision Quality: Value Creation from Better Business Decisions (Wiley, 2016). Carl is chairman and CEO of management consulting firm Strategic Decisions Group.

Jennifer Meyer routinely works with leadership and project teams to choose strategies that improve and embody a healthy decision culture. She has extensive experience developing and delivering courses on cognitive biases and their effect on decision making. With Carl, she is a coauthor of Decision Quality. She is an SDG partner.

Original Webinar Date: March 11, 2020