Decision Making- Black, White, and Grey

Decision Making: Black, White, and Grey

There were many times I sat in a meeting when an important decision had to be made. Someone from accounting or operations would say “That is a black or white situation.”
With my background being in sales I was not always sure this was the case. There are many business decisions that are cut and dry, however too many times people look for a simple yes or no answer to solve a complex problem.

Company policy is a vital part of any organization. You have to have structured processes in running any business. These policies need to be set in the best interests of the company and then properly communicated to the employees responsible for following them. Too many times companies do not have set policies, so when situations do arise there is no consistency in their reactions. Internal policies are important so that everyone is treated fairly. Employees must know what is expected of them in the role they fill. They must also know what behaviors are acceptable and which ones are not. External policies are equally important so the company’s vision and mission can be achieved. Without these policies chaos will certainly ensue.

My problem with black and white decisions arises when the concept of flexibility is removed from rational thought. Too many times I found myself in situations where someone, citing company policy, made a wrong decision that drastically affected the company. If you have a policy that states that any order received after 9:00 A.M. will not be delivered until the next day, there probably is a good reason behind it. If you don’t set a cut-off time you will never be able to maintain a delivery schedule that accommodates all your customers. But what happens when one of your biggest customers is out of stock on your best selling item and forgot to call their order in on time? My answer always was that if we can physically make this delivery we would. These were the decisions that were not black or white; rather I liked to call them grey.

In the world of sales we constantly exist in gray. To ensure customer satisfaction you can’t throw the rule book out, but you better have the flexibility to bend it a little. I would always look at a problem as an opportunity. How can I handle a situation that goes from a loss for someone to a win-win for everyone? While that was always my goal, it certainly was not always achieved. You have to decide what you can live with and what you can’t. Once you do this you can render a decision that takes everyone’s best interest into consideration but still protects the company’s best interest. Anyone can make a black or white decision. The ability to make those “grey” decisions is what makes a person successful in the long run.