Masonry Magazine January 2014 Page. 42
LEADERSHIP
By Lucien Canton
Leading in Crisis:
The Four Traps of Decision Making
During the second day's fighting at Gettysburg on July 2, 1863, Colonel Strong Vincent, a brigade commander in the Army of the Potomac, learned from a passing courier that the Union left flank was undefended and that the Confederates were advancing on Little Row1d Top. Seiz�ing this position would allow the Confed�erates to fire on the entire Union line, forc�ing the retreat of Union forces, opening the road to Washington.
Recognizing the tactical significance of the position, Vincent, without waiting for orders, moved his brigade into a blocking position. What followed was one of the most dramatic and pivotal engagements of the war, one that decid�ed the battle of Gettysburg and most probably the war. Though Vincent fell in the battle, his ability to recognize the cri�sis, to make critical decisions under pres�sure, and to deploy his resources inspired his brigade to hold the vital position on the Little ROlmd Top.
Leadership in crisis is, ultimately, aOOut decision making. Other critical steps such as recognizing and isolating the crisis pre�pare you to make decisions, while the deployment of resources are based on the decisions made by the leader. The pivotal point in any crisis is the making of the decision about how one will deal with the crisis. Unfortunately, without recognizing the four traps ofdecision making, it is too easy to make the wrong decision.
Trap No.1.: Maintaining the status quo
One of the major problems in leading in a crisis is the psychological tendency to do nothing. There is a tendency to normali1..e events-to see what we expect to see. It is easy to miss cues or ind ica�tors. If there are no consequences for doing, there is no need to make a deci�sion. Unfortunately, this is the default mode fo r many decision makers.
Trap No. 2: Taking the easy way out
Assuming that there are conse�quences for inaction, the next considera�tion is whether there is a risk in taking action. If there is no perceived risk in taking a specific action, there is really no need to make a decision or to consider aJternative courses of action.
Trap No. 3: Giving up
When available courses of action all carry risks, the tendency is to search for a better solution. The trap here is that it if there is a perception that no low-risk solutions are available, the decision maker may become fataJistic or apathet�ic, exhibit behaviors such as ignoring or selective interpreting information, or attempt to pass the responsibility for decision making to someone else.
Trap No. 4: Running out the clock
Hesitation is not uncommon among decision makers in a crisis. lnfom1ation is incomplete or contradictory, and there is usually little time to wait for better solutions. Th.is is the fourth trap ofdecision making: continuing to seek for solutions rather than deciding on the best available aJtemative, even if it carries considerable risk Under heavy time constraints, this can even lead to panic and bad decision making.
So how docs one avoid the four traps of decision malting in a crisis? The first step is recognizing that these four traps exist and understanding that they are heavily influ�enced by time and the availab ility ofgood i:nfunnation. Failing to see the risks of inac�tion or accepting \ow-risk actions arc 00th linked to a failure to recognize that a crisis is occurring and to put it into the context of the potential in1pact on your organimtion. This, in tum, is usually the result of fuiling to take the time to gather and assess informa�tion related to the crisis.
Consider, for example, the classic case study on suppl)' chain management involving Nokia and Ericsson in 2000. The crisis was precipitated by a fire in the dean room of the manufacturer of the chips used in each company's phones. Nokia recognized and reacted to the potential cri�sis; Ericsson did not. The resulting losses cost Ericsson millions in lost revenue and market share, and put the company into a financial crisis that lasted almost five )'ears.
Understanding the nature ofthe crisis also can help avoid the bad decisions caused when considering high-risk aJter�natives. Knowing how much time you have to make a decision and the potentiaJ availability of aJternative actions are pre�cious commodities in a crisis. Time allmvs you to weigh risks versus aJtematives or consult with advisors and subject matter experts. Knowing you have limited time can help you to focus on what you know and bring clarity ofthought.
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The hardest part of managing in cri�sis is having the willingness to accept responsibility for decisions made with limited information in too short a time, and the courage to follow through on those decisions without second-guessing yourself. It's what makes a leader truly effective in a crisis. lMAS
Lucien G. Canton, CEM, is a consultant specializing in preparing managers to lead better in crisis by understanding the human factors often overlooked in crisis planning. He is the author ofthe best-selling "Emergency Management: Concepts and Strategies for Effective Programs.� For more information, visit www.luciencanton.com, or email lnfo@luciencanton.com.
40 MASONRY � January 2014 � www.masoncontractors.org The Voice of the Masonry Industry