“What I like about working with Ann is how she keeps a group strategically focused while making the process engaging, easy, and humorous. She uncovers common ground, creates opportunity, and guides the group to new shared conclusions in remarkably little time.”
Laurie Fenlason, Vice President for Public Affairs, Smith College
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“I wish everyone read this book. Ann Latham’s “Uncommon Meetings” is a quick read, packed with substantive ideas on how to get more out of meetings in less time. Everyone who runs meetings should read it!”
Janet Warren, President, MarCom Capital
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“Ann Latham is one of the best business speakers I have heard. She is very experienced, the quality of her thinking is extremely high, and she knows how to deliver her message in an entertaining, concise, and convincing way.”
Dr. Alan G. Robinson, Isenberg School of Management, Author - "Ideas Are Free"
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“On a collaborative project with Boeing Phantom Works, Ann did a tremendous job in identifying the cost drivers, producibility issues, and productivity barriers of a supplier organization, all of which were impeding the success of our project.”
Ed Gerding, Chief Engineer C-17 St. Louis, The Boeing Company
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“Ann can help you identify the crux of a problem and solutions that will work for you. While others may be good, my 35 years of experience tells me that no one is better.”
Perry Walraven, President and CEO, Performance Controls, Inc. a Subsidiary of Hitachi Medical Corporation
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“Ann’s ability to simplify complex issues such that everyone understood their respective roles was a key part of her success. She truly helped us achieve profitable and predictable growth while improving the quality of our methods and processes.”
S. W. Emery, Jr., Chairman and CEO, MTS Systems Corporation
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“I would recommend Ann to anyone who wants to make better plans and decisions in less time and with better confidence in the outcomes.”
W. Lowell Putnam, Chairman/CSO, VCI (Video Communications, Inc.)
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“Working with a diverse group of manufacturing and design team members, Ann was able to gain consensus for improvement initiatives, win over even the skeptical, and move the team forward toward production-readiness.”
Dana Badgerow, General Manager, AeroMet Corporation
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“’Wow’ sums it up nicely. The way Ann works is impressive: she has a great handle on people, makes everyone want to work together, ensures meetings are focused and valuable, and simplifies the challenges and options so all can reach shared conclusions.”
John Heaps, President, Florence Savings Bank
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“You are clearly a gifted facilitator and helped us achieve some important outcomes. The ROI was there.”
Bob Fazzi, President & CEO, Fazzi Associates
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“Ann’s book, Clear Thoughts, is the fresh, grounding breath of perspective that every executive needs in order to see clearly despite the daily chaos”
Jane Lansing, VP Marketing, Emerson Process Management
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“After working with Ann, I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend her to anyone in need of a strategy, plan, arbitration, facilitation, etc.”
Chuck McCullagh, CFO, The Williston Northampton School
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“Ann Latham transformed our thinking about how our organization works. This discovery led us to a strategic model that solves our pain and opens new opportunities. She truly lives up to her brand of ‘uncommon clarity.’”
Suzanne Beck, Executive Director, Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce
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“Ann is a captivating speaker, providing important principles in an approachable, common-sense way. Our audience enjoyed her depth and breadth of knowledge.”
Aimee Griffin Munnings, Esq., Director, Western New England College Law and Business Center for Advancing Entrepreneurship
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“The process that our committee engaged in was outstanding and the outcome of our work is truly exceptional.”
Russell Peotter, General Manager, WGBY - Public Television for Western New England
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“Ann’s work with us helped change the direction of three units very set in their ways and has opened up a myriad of possibilities for growth in the future.”
Joan Schuman, Executive Director, Hampshire Educational Collaborative
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“The time and stress saved by one phone call with Ann was astounding.”
Rev. Johanna McCune Wagner, Director of Religious Life, The Culver Academies
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Every organization would benefit from the material found in Ann’s audio seminar, “Meeting Mastery.”
Chuck Hatch, General Manager, Packaging Corporation of America
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How to Make Better Decisions Faster
Painful, time-consuming and ineffective might be among the words that come to mind when you think about past, or current, decisions. Whether big or little, important or trivial, unilateral or group efforts, decision making can be really hard.
Couple this with the fact that we make an enormous number of decisions daily, and it is a wonder we are rarely taught a good decision making process.
So now is your chance. Spend a few minutes learning the process below and then practice daily. The result will be better and faster decisions.
"There are only three steps in making a decision.
The problem is, most people skip two of them."
There are only three steps in making a decision. The problem is, most people skip two of them. Before we discuss the three steps of decision making, take a minute to clearly state the decision you wish to make. This might be harder than you think and may be the first step to better and faster decisions.
For example, have you ever discussed buying a new car? You express interest in a particular model, your spouse mentions cargo space, and your kids want red. Someone suggests mileage is important and then the conversation shifts to the trade-in value and condition of your current cars. What decision are you making? Are you trying to decide what kind of car to buy, whether to buy a car, which car to replace, or the particular model, color and features? These are all different decisions that must be answered in a logical order. By stating the decision at hand, you clarify for yourself, and anyone else, exactly where you are and what decision needs to be made next. This is a critical precursor to making a decision.
1. Determine Objectives
Step one in making a decision is to determine the objectives.
- What are you trying to accomplish?
- What criteria are important?
- What are your priorities?
- What are the limitations?
Let's return to the example of the car purchase. Suppose the decision is to select a car that will be used primarily for commuting alone over a considerable distance. The important criteria are likely to include mileage, price, safety and driver comfort. Less important criteria may be the type of sound system, GPS and the color red.
The objectives can, and often should, be ranked in order of importance so that you can be sure the choice you make satisfies the most important objectives. In addition to ranking objectives, you should separate your "musts" from your "wants." A "must" represents a go/no-go criteria. In the case of the car purchase, a "must" might be that the price does not exceed your budget. You would be foolish to sacrifice a "must" like your budget in favor of a "want" such as a particular sound system. You shouldn't even be looking at cars that fail to pass a go/no-go test such as budget.
Don't make the common mistake of skipping this step. Clarify your objectives before continuing to the second step of decision making.
2. Identify Alternatives
The second step in decision making is to identify the alternatives. This is the step that no one skips. However, this step is often short-changed. There are usually more alternatives than you first realize.
The alternatives must be measured against the objectives determined in step #1. Any that fail to measure up to a "must" should be tossed out. The remainder can be assessed, even scored if desired, to determine the best choice or choices.
Be careful here; we are not finished. An exciting alternative often causes people to grab it and run, thus skipping the third step of decision making.
3. Consider Risks
Once you have identified one or more top alternatives, you must consider the risks involved with each. Can you live with those risks? If not, figure out a way to reduce the risk, or toss out that alternative and move on to another. This step is also skipped more often than not. Many bad choices could have been avoided simply by pausing long enough to ask what might go wrong.
For example, suppose the apparently perfect car is a new model with a new type of engine, lots of new technology, and no track record for quality. Other than that, it is simply awesome. Is that enough to give you cold feet?
Don't skip steps and suffer the consequences. Objectives, alternatives, risks. In that order. Every time you make a decision. Start practicing today. You will be surprised at how much more easily and quickly you arrive at noticeably better and more comfortable decisions.
© 2008 Ann Latham. All Rights reserved.