Tech Manager—Leaning Toward Action
I have written a lot on decision making, analyzing, pondering, and weighing options. I tend to take in as much information as I can and get input from many people and places. I then think about what could happen or what should happen. After a period of time a decision is made, and action needs to be taken. But when do you take that action? When is it time to stop thinking and move forward? I suggest that you always lean toward action, even when you are thinking things through. Always keep focusing on taking action.
A Time to Think
There is a time to gather input and ideas, pros and cons, strengths and weaknesses when given a decision to make. Then there is a time to think about all the data and info you have pulled together and get some input from others. During this time of thinking and weighing your options, you should always focus on driving toward conclusions that are actionable and final.
Seek Conclusions
Conclusions come when you have reached a point that data coalesces into patterns. Bad options begin to fall away and leave you with fewer choices. You start to see options as good, better, best. The data supports your refinements and confirms your findings. Things start to become less chaotic and foggy, and clarity is coming into view. You are reaching for conclusions. You should then start looking for which ones are actionable.
Having a mindset of action does not mean that you move before you have a concrete idea of the action needed. It is not movement just for movement’s sake. It is not pointless activity. If I develop 10 ideas about using technology, that is movement, but if I have a concrete plan about using technology, that is action. You should not be acting before you see a roadmap of resolution or advancement.
Seek Actionable Conclusions
Not all conclusions have obvious actions associated with them. You may have figured out the goal, but not the steps in getting to your goal. There may be no clear steps at all. The right path to take may not have any road signs. When this happens, you need to press on to seek decisions that lend themselves to taking action. A conclusion that does not lead to action is just a perspective. It is a point of view, a wish, an opinion. Just one thought among other thoughts. But a conclusion that has actions associated with it is a call to activity for you and others. Now you have something you can “do.” You have answered not just the what, but the how and when and possibly the who of the actions. Now things are leaning toward action.
Most of the decisions you must make at work are brought to you because some action is needed. A fix, a refinement, a new directive, whatever. Your goal, when entering the decision-making process, is to come out the other side with some actions. Conclusions that come from your own personal research or exposure to technology also call for action. So, your mindset and leaning should always be toward action, to shorten the decision cycle while apply the right balance of deliberation. Think, but not delay. Ponder, but do not procrastinate.
Seek Final Actionable Conclusions
Conclusions need to be actionable and also final. Understand that by final, I mean conclusions that drive you to immediate actions now. Once you have an actionable conclusion, it is time to move on it. The planning phase is over and now it is time for progress. Start as soon as it is practicable, but not sooner. Starting before you have a conclusion will increase your failure rate. Moving before you have defined actions to take may end in grasping at solutions. And progressing before you have a final plan means you may have incomplete steps. Do not shortchange the planning phase, but don’t overextend it either.
Be Open to Review
Once you start taking action – review after each step. Final also does not mean set in stone. You need to review things to see if your plan is unfolding well. If adjustments are needed, make them. Some may want to review your progress because they did not agree with your conclusions. They could not stop you from starting to take action, but they could slow you down by overly reviewing and questioning everything. I am all for review, but one thing I ask before a review is “Is there is new information?” Has something changed? Is there new information available that we did not have before? Did an action not produce what was expected? If not, then a review is not called for and is just rehashing the same things you have already discussed. Nothing has changed, so keep moving as planned.
By having a mindset that leans toward action, you are nudging everything to completion. You encourage drawing conclusions, and you seek resolution. It takes practice to not move until you have some kind of plan, and you may move to soon. But having a slight lean toward focused activity will get you moving. It is easier to steer a ship that is moving than one that is standing still.
