IGP CSAT Paper 2 Decision Making Problem Solving Part 2

8/10/2019 IGP CSAT Paper 2 Decision Making Problem Solving Part 2

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Step 4 Implementing the SolutionThe fourth step involves five subparts.

1. Develop an action plan Implementation requires a series of steps to : Articulate who has to do what, with what resources, by what time, and toward what goal. Identify who must know about the decision.

2. Identify needed resources Resources include people, information (data), and things. Ask yourself: Are there any special requirements?

What resources do I need? How long will it take?

Where will I get them? What can others offer?

3. Determine objectives,Objectives are measurable targets that are: Used to monitor progress and establish priorities. Based on analysis of the situation and contingencies.

4. Build a plan Your plan should state : Who ... Will do what (and with whom) ... How

By when Where

Remember: Communicate the plan to all parties involved!

5. Implement the plan Use the action plan to put the decision in place.The correct answers are

Presents the best of the feasible solutions. Describes the activities required to implement the solution. Describes the resources needed to implement the solution.

Includes a timetable for implementing the solution. Addresses foreseeable side effects. Identifies who will take the action.

Remember that the plan must be disseminated to all who have responsibility for any part of implementing it.

Step 5 Evaluating the Solution SituationEvaluation involves two parts :Monitoring progress. Ask :

1. Has the situation changed?2. Are more (or fewer) resources required?3. Is a different alternative solution required?

Monitoring the success and results of a decision is an ongoing process that is critical to fine tuning a course of action.

Evaluating the results. Use the following checklist to help you evaluate the decision.
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Checklists For Evaluating the Results1. Does the decision and action plan make use of existing channels of communication to generate feedback? 3. Will

the feedback test the effectiveness of the decision?2. Is the solution achieving its purpose?

3. Will the feedback be sufficient to reflect changing circumstances and conditions that might occasion the need tomodify the plan? 4. How will you know if the proposed decision has worked? Is it measurable? If yes, how?5. Is timely information generated so that it can be supplied to operational, administrative, and policy units in the

jurisdiction?

For effective decision making, one needs to identify the various styles and attributes of Decision Making. Onemust find ones psychological type, and the ways to relate it to ones personal preferences as well as factors andstyles that have an impact on ones ability to make rational and effective decisions. Also required is that you firstaccept whether the situation requires the individual decision or group decision.

Carl Jungs Psychological Type

TYPE AND COMPONENTS OF DECISION MAKINGThe psychiatrist Carl Jung categorized different personality patterns as psychological types. Based on his

observation of peoples behavior, Jung concluded that people have inherent differences in how they use theirminds and where they derive and focus their energy.

Jung identified two mental processes:

1. Taking in information (or perceiving).2. Organizing information and drawing conclusions (or judging).

Jung also identified two different ways in which people do each of these mental activities

1. People take in information either through their senses or by intuition.2. People organize information either by thinking or by feeling.

People also differ in where they derive and focus their energy. They are either externally oriented (extroverts),energized by people and activity; or internally oriented (introverts), energized by ideas and thoughts. Thesedifferent ways of organizing and relating to the world obviously can be combined in different ways, thus creating different psychological types. For example, one person could be an extrovert who relies on thinking more thanfeeling and sensing over intuiting, while another individual could be an introvert who is intuitive and feeling-oriented.

Using Type Inventories to Determine PreferencesOne kind of personality test called a type inventory can help you to determine your preferred or dominant

ways of functioning, including your preferred decision-making style. Such tests ask you to answer a series of questions, and, based on your responses, assign you a type that is an aggregate of your preferences.

1. Extroversion vs. introversion (where energy is derived and focuse(d)2. Sensing vs. intuition (how information is obtaine(d)3. Thinking vs. feeling (how decisions are mad(e)4. Judging vs. perceiving (how the test taker is oriented toward the external worl(d)

Your TypeWhat Does It Mean for Decision Making?The following are some generalizations about each dominant function:

1. Feeling: The bias is towards integrity. Decisions should consider peoples values and needs. Ask, How doesthis affect those involved?
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2. Sensing: The bias is toward stability. Decisions have to make sense based on past experience. Ask, Whatare the facts, costs, and benefits?

3. Thinking: The bias is toward effectiveness. Decisions must be objective and logical. Ask, What are the prosand cons, causes and effects?

4. Intuition: The bias is toward innovation. Decisions should creatively make use of new opportunities andinsights. Asks, What are the patterns and possible interpretations?

What Does It Mean to Flex?To flex means to ask yourself the questions of the other three functions, as well as the questions of your

dominant function that naturally occur to you.A key to good decision making is that it uses both sensing andintuition to gather all the pertinent information, and both thinking and feeling to weigh all the factors involved.When we rely only on our dominant function, we tend to miss things and make poorer decisions. Although thisprocess may feel awkward at first, it will lead to decisions that are more sound.

Who Decides? As you read through the four types, note that the amount of control that the leader has over the decision

drops from total to almost none.In addition to the four dominant functions explained above, there are also fourstyles of decision making based on who makes the decision.Yet, the leader retains ultimate responsibility.

As an emergency manager There are other times, however, when you must make a command decision alone.Several factors affect whether a decision should be made by an individual or a group. Use the questions in Job Aid3-1, on the following page, to determine whether the circumstances call for an individual or group decision.

Individual Decision Making You work often in situations that require a high degree of coordination in individual decision making. These

cases call for a group decision-making process. The leader must make the decision alone, and input from others islimited to collecting relevant information.

Group Decision MakingIn this case, the leaden and others work together until they reach a consensus decision. Each group members

opinion and point of view is considered. As a result of helping to make the decision, group members buy into thefinal decision and commit to supporting its implementation.

Successful Group Decision MakingGroup decision making requires good leadership to be successful. There are special conditions necessary for

group decision making, such as adequate time. There are also particular pitfalls unique to group decision making,such as groupthink.

Decision Making Through ConsultationIn consultation, the leader shares the issue with one or more people-seeking ideas, opinions, and suggestions

and then makes a decision. The leader considers the input of others, but the final decision may or may not beinfluenced by it.

Delegating the DecisionWhen delegating a decision, the leader sets the parameters, then allows one on more others to make the final

decision. Although the leaden does not make the decision, he on she supports it.
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Avoiding GroupthinkCroupthink is a phenomenon that occurs in a cohesive group when members let their need to agree with each other interfere with their ability to think about the decision critically.Three conditions may lead to groupthink:

1. Overestimation of the groups ability and power : Allows members to ignore warning signals. Allows members to feel complacent. Could result from an overreaction to low self-esteem resulting from recent failures on a difficult task.

2. We vs. They attitude Leads to stereotypes of outsiders. Encourages nationalization of decisions.

3. Pressure toward conformity : Could result from direct pressure applied by the group to members who try to disagree. Does result in members censoring themselves to maintain their membership in the group.

The key to avoiding on mitigating groupthink lies in the behavior of the group leaden. If you are the leaden of a group with

the potential to exhibit groupthink behavior, you may want to take one on more of the following preventive actions:1. Encourage everyone to air objections and doubts and to accept criticism.2. Describe the problem without revealing your preferred solution.3. Assign the group into subgroups and ask each to evaluate the problem.4. Invite outside experts to challenge the groups decision.5. Ask members to take turns playing devils advocate.

To minimize group think during an emergency:1. Encourage dissenting opinions consistently.2. Discuss the need to remain open to possibilities with responding personnel before an emergency.3. Examine patterns of decision making during previous emergencies and analyze them to take connective measures.

Groupthink is more likely to occur in an emergency situation for two reasons:

1. Time pressure creates a need for quick decisions.2. Personnel responding to disasters typically have a high degree of cohesion.

When leaders can influence their groups to avoid groupthink, decision making becomes possible based on a healthyconsensus. Consensus is not the same as 100-percent agreement. In consensus, group members determine that theyactively support the decision of the group, even though it might not be their personal choice.

Reaching ConsensusGuide to knowing when youve reached consensus and to facilitate gaining consensus from your group.

How do you know when youve reached consensus?Yo u v e r ea c h ed c o n s en s u s w h en ea c h m em b er c a n sa y ;

1. My personal views and ideas have been really listened to and considered.2. I have openly listened to and considered the ideas and views of every other group member.3. I can support this decision and work toward its implementation, even if it was not my choice.

Ti p s f or r ea c h i n g c o n sen s u s

1. Dont employ win/lose techniques, such as voting or negotiating favors back and forth.2. Look for alternatives that are next most acceptable as ways to break a stalemate.3. Dont encourage members to give in to keep harmony.
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IGP CSAT Paper 2 Decision Making Problem Solving Part 2