The John Adair Handbook of Management and Leadership

Decision-making and problem-solving

i) Personal reminders

• The ability to take decisions – the most valuable skill in
  management


• The five point plan:
  
  
  • Define objective
  
  
  • Check information
  
  
  • Develop options
  
  
  • Evaluate and decide
  
  
  • Implement.
  
  
  
  


• Use: analysis, holistic thinking, thinking in concepts, imagination,
  valuing (truth), intuition, your unconscious mind, options,
  argument, originality


• Know your mind and develop your thinking skills.

ii) Thoughts worth thinking

‘If I have any advice to pass on it is this: if one

wants to be successful one must think until it

hurts... Believe me, this is hard work and, from my

close observation, I can say that there are few

people indeed who are prepared to perform this

arduous and tiring work.’

Roy Thomson

98 The John Adair Handbook of Management and Leadership