(Time to read this Blog is about 4 minutes)

Before we get to the main topic, here are a few things to get you thinking or smiling:

1. My Biz Quote of the week:
   “Everyone on your Team either brings energy and a ‘can do’ attitude to the business, or they suck the energy out of the Team and the business.  Get better at spotting the ‘energy suckers’ in the 1st interview…and get rid of those who ‘accidently’ got hired.”
   …Donald Cooper.
    
2. Quick Biz Tip:
   A conversation to have with employees who are not performing…or are toxic.

   When you have Team members who are toxic or not performing, below are the 3 options that you can discuss with them.  

   Option #1:  We can work together to get your performance up to our required standard.  The current shortfalls are __________ (fill in the blank…be specific) and here’s how it’s affecting our customers, the department, the business and our Team _________________ (fill in the blank…be specific) and here’s what working together to correct this will look like _____________________________ (fill in the blank…be specific, including a timeline by when the improvement must be made).
    
   Option #2:  Or, we could lower our performance or behaviour standards to fit you in.  Do you suggest that as a possible option?  (I’ve never had a non-performer or toxic employee have the guts to suggest this one).
    
   Option #3:  Or, we can free you up to relocate yourself to some other company where your standard of performance or behaviour is acceptable.
    
   Then, ask them to choose #1, #2 or #3.
    

3. If you love irony. The day after Donald Trump visited Detroit to say that the USA doesn’t want Canadian-made cars, the new Canadian-made Dodge Charger was named the ‘North American Car of the Year’ at the Detroit Auto Show.
    
4. Fun Fact: Hawaii is the ‘Happiest state in the USA’.  West Virginia is in last place.  But, on a national happiness basis, Canada consistently ranks much higher than the USA in the ‘World Happiness Report’.  Quebec is the happiest Province in Canada, PEI is the least happy Province.  Apparently, potatoes don’t make you happy.
    
5. A transformational day with Donald Cooper. A number of regular Blog readers have recently asked how much it would cost to have a day with me to explore how they can sell more, manage smarter and grow their bottom line. Some of these businesses are partnerships or family businesses needing clarity and insight about the best path forward.  They’re looking for someone who has the experience, insight and courage to ‘get real’ and be helpful.
    
   So, I’ve put together a program that involves you and your management team taking about 40 minutes each to complete a few of my Biz Tools…me spending 2 days to recap and analyse them and prep for our day together.  The day can be with you alone, or with you and your Management Team.  It concludes with dinner and includes three follow-up calls to make sure that ‘stuff’ is getting done. The cost is $7,000, plus travel expenses.  I’m based in Toronto.
    
   If you’d like to chat about ‘possibilities’, I’m easy to find at donald@donaldcooper.com.

Now, to this week’s important topic:

How are decisions made in your business?

How are various levels and types of decisions made in your business…and is the current way the best way?   This is an important question to spend some time thinking about and discussing.  

Making good decisions quickly, at every level of your business, is key to efficiency, effectiveness and success.  “Yes”, there are some key decisions that need to be mulled over and thoughtfully considered, but every day there are 100s of decisions that need to be made quickly, or the business grinds to a halt. 

But how decisions are made is something that most businesses don’t think about, examine and question.  Below are 10 typical ‘decision scenarios’ that I see in my Biz Coaching work.  Which of these ‘Decision Scenarios’ sounds most like your business what can be done to improve your decision-making process?  It will be insightful to ask Team members in various roles and at various levels of the business for their thoughts on this.  They may see things that you have missed.

1. For major decisions, a ‘Management Committee’ openly and respectfully discusses the options and then decisions are made by a majority vote or a trusted and competent leader…and then a detailed ‘Implementation Plan’ is created and effectively communicated, listing specific outcomes, actions, responsibilities and timelines. Specifically, what will be done, by whom, by when, at what cost, with what outcomes, measured how and rewarded how…and followed up by whom.  This is the process and discipline by which things actually get done.  I’ve been preaching this for years.
2. We make decisions, but there’s no effective and well communicated ‘Implementation Plan’, so, most of the time, nothing actually happens.
3. All managers or shareholders must agree on any big decision before proceeding. We manage by consensus and it’s slowing us down or resulting in mediocre, compromise decisions that give us no clear competitive or operational advantage.
4. Authoritarian rule. ‘I decide and you get with the program…or else!’  Respectful debate and courageous conversations are not allowed.
5. We research every decision to death as a way of avoiding making the decision.
6. Our business is a partnership or family business and the partner or family member who’s the chosen leader is trusted to make most decisions.  It’s clear what level of decisions must have wider approval.
7. Our business is a partnership or family business and decisions are fraught with politics, drama and not-so-hidden agendas. The rest of our management team runs and hides when these disputes are under way.
8. All decisions are made at the top and this has become a huge bottleneck and frustration. This micro-managing has caused many good people to leave the business in frustration.
9. Routine decisions are made far down the ‘organization’ because we’ve coached, trained, empowered and encouraged our Team to get on with it. They understand our values, standards and commitments and successfully make decisions within those agreed boundaries. 
10. Many decisions don’t get made…or take forever because ____________________.

How can you use these 10 ‘decision scenarios’ to guide a conversation in your business on how to make better decisions, more quickly, more often?

That’s it for this week…

Live brilliantly and be kind to each other!       

Donald Cooper 

Donald Cooper speaks and coaches internationally on management, marketing, and profitability.  He can be reached by email at donald@donaldcooper.com in Toronto, Canada.