Everyone makes decisions differently and is
motivated or driven by different things. Being aware of and understanding these
differences are really important when managing employees or creating
relationships.
I am now motivated to write this article, following the successful
Round
Table discussion that I hosted on VoARadio Network on last Saturday. Over fifty years of scientific research has
revealed that there are three distinct styles of decision-making. Each of us
can make decisions in all three ways, but we tend to develop a preference for
one more than the other two. This preference becomes a subconscious force,
affecting the decisions we make on a daily basis and shaping how we perceive
the world around us and ourselves. The three decisional styles are personal,
practical, and analytical.
To some extent everyone is capable of making all three kinds of
decisions, but we ultimately have a preference. Here is a simple example of the
three in contrast with each other. A person with each style is sitting around a
table working on a project together. While the Personal style is focused on the
needs of the team members involved and how to best use their talents, the
Practical style does not really care as much about the team or if it is done
right, he just wants to get it done. Finally the Analytical sees no reason to
worry about the people involved or even getting it done if it is not going to be
done correctly.
We all have different balances of these three styles. That is what
makes our decisions and actions different from others. These ways of making
decisions and how we use them are at the core of who we are.
In addition to there being three distinct styles of decision
making, people are also motivated to make decisions based on different drivers.
Based on the research of Dr. Eduard Spranger and later by Dr. Gordon Allport,
there are seven key motivational drivers and they include the following:
§ The motivation to achieve balance, harmony, and find form or
beauty
§ The motivation for security from economic gain and to achieve
practical returns
§ The motivation to be seen as unique, independent, and stand apart
from the crowd
§ The motivation to have influence and control over one’s
environment or success
§ The motivation to benefit others in a humanitarian sense
§ The motivation to establish order, routine, and structure
§ The motivation to gain knowledge or discover truth
Imagine how beneficial it would be to know how your team members
make decisions and why they are motivated to do what they do. Imagine being
able to share that knowledge with the actual team members. Communication,
teamwork, and your ability to manage would instantly improve. Results and
outcomes would measurably improve. Uncovering how people make decisions and
what drives them to do what they do can be uncovered through a simple
assessment process. [Please contact me if you are interested in the assessment process.] However, the assessment process is only the beginning. A commitment
by management to create an action plan on how to effectively use the knowledge
to improve team building is a critical second step. Information for
information’s sake is—you got it—just information. An action plan to manage
with the new information will provide long-term and sustainable results for
your team.
