Fridays thoughts
About taking action: part 2 of 4.
Impossible decisions
I heard this incredible story this past Wednesday.
It was told by a former SOF operator and addressed decision-making and how, despite lacking information and complete situational awareness, one was made because there was no other option.
Let me give you some context first.
As I have mentioned in previous posts, we are train–repeat–insist freaks. However, SOF guys are worse because their working environment is even more error-averse. That means that everything is trained up to a point where very few things are left aside. All aspects of a mission are verified, checked, and re-checked again. Procedures cover all possible variables. You might think it makes them inflexible (in case something unexpected pops up). Well, it is the opposite. It gives them flexibility.
But what if they are faced with what he classified as an Impossible Decision?
Let us see!
Here is the scenario: a boarding operation done by fast rope into a vessel in pitch-black conditions and without knowing how many "bad guys were on board. During the execution, the first and second operators manage to land on board. The third one, however, fell into the sea. Without any other means of support nearby, the decision to be made was either to save the man overboard or continue the boarding operation (not to leave both men alone fighting an unknown number of adversaries)!
The impossible decision: to choose between one or two possible dead. A lose-lose situation.
They chose to rescue the man overboard, trusting both operator's training would be enough to handle the situation on board. All went well.
Fortunately, we do not face impossible decisions in our working environment. If that is the case, why do we stumble into things such as no decisions being made (which is different from deciding not to do something), or them taking too much time, or arguing that the process does not allow it?
Opportunities, team development, motivation, engagement, and so forth get hindered by it.
Everything we do has an ultimate aim: to make the best possible decision based on what we know, what we have, our resources, and our objectives. Is that not enough?
Regional Staffing Sales Manager
4moGreat reminders! Thank you Mark Mitford - MBA, MA!