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Three Keys To Making Quick Decisions

The document discusses three keys to making quick decisions as a lab manager. [1] Be decisive and choose the best available option, even if it requires admitting a wrong decision later. [2] Be aware of decision fatigue, as constant decision-making uses mental energy; reserve some capacity for important late-day decisions. [3] Be prepared to make some decisions on the spot during lab interactions and conversations, as not all require extensive research.

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54 views2 pages

Three Keys To Making Quick Decisions

The document discusses three keys to making quick decisions as a lab manager. [1] Be decisive and choose the best available option, even if it requires admitting a wrong decision later. [2] Be aware of decision fatigue, as constant decision-making uses mental energy; reserve some capacity for important late-day decisions. [3] Be prepared to make some decisions on the spot during lab interactions and conversations, as not all require extensive research.

Uploaded by

bassam alharazi
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Three Keys to Making Quick Decisions


How to improve timely decision-making for the lab
Sep 27, 2022 Scott D. Hanton, PhD

Lab managers must make a wide variety of decisions on behalf of the lab every day.
Unfortunately, many of these issues require decisions without all of the time, data, input,
and alternatives that may be desired. When making decisions with limited information
and time, it is often best to follow the advice of Teddy Roosevelt: “In any moment of
decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong
thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing.” Nearly all of the decisions lab
managers make can be changed or amended if new information becomes available or
circumstances change. The few permanent decisions require more thought, care,
deliberation, and investigation.

Here are three things lab managers can do to improve their ability to make quick
decisions to benefit the lab.
#1 – Be decisive
Choose the best option available and make the decision. Beware of doing nothing.
Postponing hard decisions helps no one and can lead to the worst outcome. Making the
decision promptly allows staff to take the next step actions and helps the lab keep
moving forward. Have sufficient humility to admit wrong decisions and make changes
when they are needed. Making this decision now does not limit your ability to make a
better decision later.

#2 – Beware of decision fatigue


Every decision, independent of magnitude, requires some consideration and energy. One
of the difficulties of lab management is that the sheer number of decisions required can
wear people out. Be cognizant of the energy required to make decisions and have some
awareness of your remaining capacity to decide as the day or week progresses. It might
be necessary to reserve a little decision-making energy for late in the day or week to
ensure all the decisions required by the lab can be completed. It can also be useful to stop
making some kinds of decisions to reserve that decision-making energy for more
important actions. For example, I would eat the same thing for lunch every day. It was
one decision I no longer needed to make during the day.

#3 – Be in the moment
Some decisions need to be made in the moment. For example, if a question comes up in
the lab during a conversation at the bench about a small purchase to make an experiment
more successful, it is necessary to make a decision in that interaction. Not all decisions
need to be researched and thought about in-depth. Be available to make decisions while
you walk through the lab and in your conversations with staff.

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