Success comes from Experience

Success means different things to different people but no matter how you define it you need good decisions to get there. So lets look at decision-making. It always involves Input-Process-Output and hopefully feedback. There are many tools to help make decisions once you are past the input step. For these to work well you list the facts that you have and the choices you could make, give weights to each of the choices and mathematically arrive at the alternative you should make. If you have enough facts and can give unbiased weights then these methods work well. This is seldom the case.

Getting input is challenging, especially if you work with human beings. Your sources of information (input) include your coworkers, clients, suppliers, the media (newspapers/TV) and your own experiences over the decades. Most people want to present good information and downplay the bad, others might consider something insignificant that you regard as vital. When making decisions you have to weigh (process) the importance and relevance of the information you have.

You also have to be aware of different styles. I work with an individual who uses the scattershot approach. In a meeting he is likely to give 20 suggestions hoping one will be a homerun. In the same group is a person who only makes a suggestion after he has thought through the implications and possible objections. Neither style is right or wrong. Over time you learn which sources you can rely on and who frequently present questionable information. Sincerity is no guarantee for accuracy.

When looking at past decisions be aware that you cannot label the decision as good or bad based on the results. A series of good decisions might have resulted in a negative outcome because of external factors. A decision to have a picnic might turn out bad because of weather not the menu or location. A new product might fail because the competitive environment changed not because of a design flaw. A project might have been setup with the right team members, goals and target customer but not given enough time or resources. What this shows you is the need to include long-range forecasts, expand competitive analysis or put more effort into the budgeting process. The reverse is also true a successful outcome might not be due to the brilliance of the project team but the whims of the consumer.

The project might have been successful but with hindsight you realize you could have done it easier. Perhaps you could have used a lower grade of materials or unbundled your product into several separate services. There is always room for improvement.

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