Effective Decisionmaking

Few managers devote enough time to the thinking processes they should apply to their jobs. Yet long, energetic hours at work are wasted if business decisions are not logical, clear — and correct.

Effective Decision Making is the definitive guide to the crucial management skill of creative thinking. John Adair draws on examples and case studies from business, recent history, sport and entertainment to show:

• how to approach problems
• imaginative thinking
• sixth sense
• how to argue your case
• how to develop your thinking skills

A complete guide to sharpening your analytical management skills.

1. The Management Context
• The Crucial Competence
• The Rational Manager
• The Five Point Plan
• Some Factors Which Affect Decison Making
• How Managers Spend Their Time
• Chief resource or Bloody Nuisance?
• People are Wholes, Not Spare Parts
• Involving Work People in Decisions
2. Know Your Mind
• Brain Power
• Three Families of Abilities
• Using Your Depth Mind
• Managing Emotion
• Roadblocks to Learning
• Conclusion
3. Analysing
• Identifying the Hallmarks of a Good Analytical Mind
• Analytical Ability in Management
• The Skills of Asking Yourself Questions
• The Analytical Methods of Logicians
• Think Backwards
• Organise the Facts
• The Logic of the Situation
• The Missing Missile
4. Holistic Thinking
• The Holistic Vision
• Some Holistic Approaches
• Thinking Holistically About Problems
• Nature and Growth
• Holistic Numeracy
• Signpost
5. Thinking in Concepts
• Concepts
• Conceptual Thinking and Decision Making
• Reflective Thinking
• Conclusion
6. Imaginative Thinking
• Thinking in Pictures
• Thinking and Imagination
• Imaginative Thinking in Action
• Yes, But Can You Develop Imaginative Thinking?
• Imagination in Perspective
7. Valuing
• The Autonomy of Valuing
• A Policy for Thinkers
• Consulting Specialists
• Valuing in Perspective
8. Your Sixth Sense – Intuition
• Trusting Your Intuition
• Emotion and Intuition
• Business Flair
• Conclusion
9. Your Depth Mind
• Using the Principle
• Some Guidelines
10. Options
• Developing a Range of Options
• False Assumptions: Some Examples from History
• Some Limitations Affecting Management Choices
• Generating More Options
• Assessing the Consequences
• The Importance of Probability
• Summary
11. Arguing
• How To Get It Wrong
• Conclusion
12. Useful Originality
• What is Creativity?
• Necessity is the Mother of Invention
• Widen Your Span of Analogy
• The Depth Mind Dimension
• Idea Banks
• Innovation
• Management Actions
13. Developing Your Thinking Skills
• What is an Effective Decision?
• The Goal of Consensus
• What is an Effective Thinker?
• Making an Inventory of Your Skills
• Learning on the Job
• Keep Mentally Fit
• How To Avoid Stimulus Deficiency
• Conclusion

You need to have some Adair books in the library. Why, is a valid question? The answer is real simple: he write about stuff that the current crop of management thinkers still try to understand…

Be warned, the books look boring, but the content is very good.