thing and that ’ s something that I ’ ve taken to heart in my management style ,” she says .
Cooper Fitness Center & Spa trains staff to make the best possible decisions in serving guests .
Learning the Skill According to Dr . Diane Wong , owner and medical director at Glow Medi Spa located in Ontario , Canada , decisionmaking is a vital skill set because , in the long run , the ability to solve problems and make decisions can save any business time , energy and money . “ Unfortunately , you sometimes learn problem-solving by trial and error , and you have to use your past experiences to guide you in the future .”
Dr . Wong adds that decision-making is a learned skill set , but is often difficult to teach because each business and its components are different . “ Making the wrong decision can be very costly . You must constantly have a finger on the pulse and be able to read your own business to know when something works or doesn ’ t — and adapt or change as needed .”
Like Dr . Wong , Cooper Fitness Center & Spa Assistant General Manager Sarah Carroll thinks decision-making is a skill set learned through observation and practice . “ Ingrained in every leader should be the desire to do the right
Habits to Develop Leaders who excel in decision-making develop habits that help strengthen their ability to find solutions when faced with difficult problems . “ An effective manager must be able to prioritize and avoid procrastination , be decisive with a willingness to accept the possible consequences , and react quickly by changing course if certain decisions produce less than ideal results ,” says James .
When it comes to making tough calls , James draws wisdom from business magnate and philanthropist Warren Buffet , who once said : “ It ’ s better to be approximately right than precisely wrong .”
Dr . Wong agrees , stating that much of decision-making comes down to priorities . “ You don ’ t always want to be ‘ putting out fires ’— so never pause and always plan ahead ,” she says , quickly adding that having a list of priorities also ensures that you stay on track when faced with multiple issues at once .
It is equally important to form a strong foundation . “ To do this , you must first realize what forms your foundation . Is it your people , your products , or your physical space ? Recognize and nurture it ,” she says .
Harmsworth , on her part , thinks developing strong decision-making skills means learning to do what ’ s important , not what ’ s urgent . “ Learn who to delegate what tasks to and do the
“ Learn who to delegate what tasks to and do the hardest things first so you ' ll have a clear mind .”
— Susan Harmsworth , Chairman and Founder , ESPA International
48 PULSE ■ June 2016