This standard reflects a key component of a manager’s everyday life. This understanding underpins most of the other standards which call upon decisions to be made in specific relation to those standards.
It’s crucial that managers can make effective decisions based on an accurate understanding of the circumstances. You need to know how to collect evidence and then to appraise evidence before them. You need to understand how to make timely decisions, consider the effects of those decisions and know how to communicate them confidently. You need to regularly check understanding of that communication to ensure that decisions are clear and ensure reviews of the decisions that have been made, both to ensure that it continues to be the right decision and for continued learning and development.
It’s important that decisions are evidence based and not just based on anecdotal evidence. Using data collection and analysis can support effective decision making. Decision making is crucial in all aspects of a manager’s work, including making the decisions required to uphold other standards.
This standard supports an understanding of the process of decision making which can then be applied in all situations. The standard also speaks to the importance of including others in that process. Your decisions will affect others, hence it’s important to ensure they are included in that process
Leadership Qualities Framework links:
- Working with others – Developing networks/ Encouraging contribution/ Working with teams
- Managing services - Planning
- Improving services - Critically evaluating
- Setting direction - Making decisions/ Applying knowledge and evidence
8.1 Decision making
- 8.1.1 Identify the different types of decisions you will need to make in your role e.g. Strategic, Operational decisions etc
- 8.1.2 Explain key stages in the decision-making process
- 8.1.3 Identify sources of data, information and intelligence that can be used to inform and influence your decisions
- 8.1.4 Identify other people who will be important to include in decision-making processes and to inform about decisions made
- 8.1.5 Explain how your own values and priorities, and those of others, could influence your decision-making
- 8.1.6 Explain why it is important to proactively encourage and enable others to contribute to making decisions, and identify ways to achieve this
- 8.1.7 Identify different ways to present evidence, ideas, recommendations and conclusions to others in a way that maximises impact
- 8.1.8 Explain why it is important to review, evaluate and learn from your decisions