I hate arguments.
Some people say arguing among executives spurs greater creativity when problem solving. I disagree.
All too often, the business leader who argues the most forcefully, or the longest, “wins” the argument. And the business loses.
It doesn’t mean that the person is correct, or the best decision is made for the business.
It doesn’t mean that the other business leaders support the “decision.” The “solution” often is not executed because the other business leaders are not on board.
Or, the business leaders tire of arguing and put off making the decision for another day.
Either way, the problem is not solved. And business performance is the big loser.
Here’s what companies are doing to stop the arguing among their leadership team…and to make better decisions.
They are creating scenarios. (Learn how to create scenarios by reading this white paper https://www.oliverwight-americas.com/system/files/private/resources/wp_scenarioplanning_reiher.pdf )
Scenarios bring information and analysis to the table.
All the business leaders have a voice. Each business function contributes information and data that are used to create the scenarios.
All points of view — backed by information, data, and analysis — are relevant.
Discussion about the scenarios revolves around potential outcomes to consider.
The strongest “voice” is good information, rather than the executive who argues the loudest and the longest.
The result is confident decision making on:
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- The most effective solutions to business challenges, performance issues, and changing business conditions.
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- Alignment on the expected outcomes.
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- Agreement on when to deploy assets in support of the solution.
Want to learn how other companies are using scenario planning? Read about three case examples in this white paper https://www.oliverwight-americas.com/system/files/private/resources/wp_scenarioplanning_reiher.pdf .
Need education or coaching on creating scenarios? Consider taking the Demand Labs Course. In this two-day course, I coach participants on how to get the most out of scenario planning.