This is not as easy as it sounds. An entrepreneur is always in doubt is this the right thing to do, can there be alternate paths, will this lead in the direction of where one intends to go. At the same time, thinking for too long is also a problem because it can lead to a paralysis of action. The entrepreneur needs to be move and be able to self-correct if the action doesnt seem right.
Those working with the entrepreneur may find a confused mind. That is not the case. It is just that an entrepreneurs mind works faster than things can be done. As a result, even as actions are being done, there is fine-tuning taking place. The thinking is happening online. For those not used to a dynamic environment of action, this can be quite disconcerting!
I have gone through all kinds of phases in my life times when I have just not been able to act because of a fear of being wrong, and times when I have acted too quickly, almost recklessly. In the first case, one gets caught deeper in deeper in the quicksand of thought like being in an infinite programming loop. One would like to consider every possible scenario, but the information just isnt enough. The decision has to be made, but the entrepreneur waits, and waits hoping for that elusive hand of God which will point the way. The only way out is to make a decision. This simple action can be the hardest thing to do when one is in this phase.
In the second case, if one hasnt analysed the scenarios, then the situation can be worsened by the actions of the entrepreneur. I have made statements or done things which I have regretted almost immediately. At times like these, there is little other than damage control that one can do. The entrepreneur must put it down to learning and move on. There is a need to evaluate what went wrong and try and institute corrective measures to prevent a recurrence. But at no point should one lose hope. As long as one learns, one will come out ahead in the long-term.
Thus, there is a fine line between inaction and rapid action. There is no easy way to come out with the perfect decision-making approach. The key is to think enough, but not too much. All the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle will never be available, so the entrepreneur has to learn to arrange what is there, all the time imagining what the big picture looks like. In many ways, this is one of the hidden joys of being an entrepreneur. It is like a real-life simulation game, except that there is no Undo button. The actions and decisions one takes are irreversible; life and business only move forward. There is no action replay. Decision-making is an art and one that an entrepreneur should do well to master.
Tomorrow: Problem Solving
TECH TALK An Entrepreneurs Attributes+T
