Personal Decision Making Strategy

Introduction

Organizations face different disasters that may interrupt their functionality and reduce their capabilities to meet set goals. The hazards originate from external or internal sources there is need to prevent such occurrences (Hao & Yazdanifard, 2015. Actually, different organizations have policies in place that aim to prevent accidents occurring within their premises. Further, in an attempt to reduce the cost of disasters, organizations pay for insurance covers. The insurances help insure their property and the employees working within the firms. Indeed, disasters such as fire have capacity to causes significant damage and in some situation result to loose of lives (Jovanović et.al. 2016). Fire hazards originate from different sources such as electric fault or exposure of flammable products near fire palaces. It is the responsibility of the management to ensure that there is prior identification of such risks and plan ways of mitigating them. The impact is promotion of a safe working environment and reduction of possible damage to the company. As a risk manager and leader, I have the role of addressing fire incidences that took place in our company and preventing such occurrence in future.  

The Role and Responsibilities of Leadership

An intelligent leader has the ability to use knowledge and different skills to guide employees towards achieving the objectives of their firm (Hao & Yazdanifard, 2015). Indeed, he motivates the employees to believe on their capacity and thus they are able to face uncertain future with confidence. Therefore, despite the challenges that may be facing their organization, the workers are willing to offer solutions. Through the sense of power, a leader offers control on the employees and influences their morale in supporting company growth (Hao & Yazdanifard, 2015). The effort and the teamwork established by the leader allow the employees to offer their expertise in meeting changing needs of their consumers and company. When faced with a calamity such as fire outbreak as it happened in an organization, the leader influences the attitude of the employees and their response to such calamities (Hao & Yazdanifard, 2015). Indeed, the workers believe in the capacity of the leader in offering advice on necessary actions to take and avoid such incidence in the future. 

As a leader, a person portrays significant ability and builds trust of employees around him and they are willing to embrace his directives without any opposition (Hao & Yazdanifard, 2015). The leader therefore gains admiration from the workers and this influences the capacity to handle responsibilities more effectively. Through change of behavior, beliefs and values, the leader gets the followers mimic his actions and this influences success for the organization (Atwood et.al. 2010). Through strong leadership capacity, a leader is able to influence employees to develop significant commitment to goals of the organization. Indeed, a leader identifies obstacles and problems that derail the organization from performing optimally and provides solutions on time. He foresees challenges and develops mechanisms to handle them to avoid limiting performance of the firm. When faced with calamity in the organization, the leader is able to engage the employees in finding a solution (Atwood et.al. 2010). The situation allows workers to share their thoughts and this motivates them because they are part of decision amazing in their firms. The communication between the leader and the workers ensure that issues of communication breakdown are not experienced in the organization. 

In attempt to control risk in organizations and preventing losses from unforeseen eventualities, risk managers help organization identify potential risks. As a leader, the manager communicates such risks to the management and to the employees (Jovanović et.al. 2016). The leaders further assess the extent of threats and different ways to reduce their occurrence. In addition, the risk manager develops plans to respond to different risks within the organizations (Jovanović et.al. 2016). The plan helps in avoiding or transferring the risks. The goal is to minimize the impact of threats to the firm that could later negatively profitability and competitiveness of the organization. However, as a leader, the manager identifies that the achievement of risk free organization requires teamwork and thus engages different stakeholders in the firm (Jovanović et.al. 2016). The stakeholders include shareholders, management and employees where each stakeholder gets their specific roles in preventing disaster to the company. However, despite the efforts, the leader identify that some disasters can happen irrespective of the efforts to avoid them. Therefore, risk manager develops mechanisms of responding to disasters if they occur to minimize possible losses to the organization. 

A Breakdown of the Decision – Making Process

Decision-making is important as it influences the capacity of organizations to solve problems that affect their progress. In the event of fire outbreak as it happened in an organization, it is important to for risk manager to come up with decision on how to avoid the problem in future. However, the decision is not possible without a progressive process that starts with investigation on the cause of the problem and possible solutions.  A single solution may not be effective in solving the fire problem thus a need to have alternatives and the best chosen by the risk manager. A progressive decision making process ensure that best solutions are given and there is constant review to ensure that it is working (Akdere, 2011). A seven-step process of decision-making process as shown in the diagram below is necessary for a risk manager. 

Figure 1, shows 7 steps in decision-making process (source: Negulescu, 2014). 

The first step is identifying the problem that requires a solution (Negulescu, 2014). In the case of the organization, the problem is fire outbreak that destroyed a significant number of property and some important files. The fire further caused injury to some employees as they tried to run for their safety through the exit doors. The cause of the fire was electric faulty necessitated by some naked wires that encountered flammable materials. After identifying the problem, the next step involves gathering of necessary information that could help make a decision (Negulescu, 2014). In gathering information about the problem, the risk manager gets information from workers who were on duty and especially those working in the affected department. More data is available from external sources such as law enforcers and firefighters who helped put off the fire. Gathering the data makes it possible for the leader to present possible solution to the problem and especially in preventing its occurrence in future. 

Third step involves identifying possible alternatives solutions to the problems (Akdere, 2011). The alternatives information can originate from imagination or search through online sources. The risk manager requires listing the alternatives to make it easy to choose the best among them. In the situation, some of the alternatives would include developing a safety committee in the organization. The committee needs to carry audit risks in the company and it preparedness in handling such risks.  Another alternative is training of employees on ways to handle fire hazards and their own safety during such a disaster. The employees need learning about different classes of fire and putting them off.  Further, the employees can get training on how to give first aid in case of such a problem. In addition, training can occur on how to exit a building in case of fire and how to access different exit routes. Another different solution is to mark flammable products and place them away from possible fire sparks in the buildings. The incidence lowers the capacity of such chemicals to facilitate spread of fire. 

After developing a list of alternatives, the next step involves weighing evidence that each solution provides to the problem (Akdere, 2011). In this stage, the risk manager evaluates whether use of either of the alternatives helps solve the problem under study (Negulescu, 2014). The step allows the manager to identify the limitation and strengths of each of the solutions. The manager therefore requires placing the alternatives on basis of their priority and value in provision of a viable solution to the challenge. Once all alternatives are weighted, the next step involves choosing the best alternatives (Negulescu, 2014). However, it is also possible for the manager to choose multiple solutions to maximize their effectiveness in mitigating risk. In the case of the organization, the leader can choose development of safety committee and training of employees on safety procedure in case of a disaster. After selecting the best solution, the next stage involves implementing the action within the company (Negulescu, 2014). Finally, the risk manager carries reviews to identify the performance of the (Patrick et.al. 2013). At this stage, he carries necessary changes if the solutions provided deviate from required objectives. 

Factors That Might Affect the Leadership Role

Factors such as organizational policies may affect the effectiveness of leadership capacity in a firm. Organizations that have policies that support bureaucracy limit the effectiveness of leaders (Al-Tarawneh, 2012). The policy limits the ability of a leader to make personal decision when faced with different challenges.  Therefore, the structure requires constant consultation that results to wastage of time. Further, rigid policies make it challenging to make quick decision when facing uncommon problems with the organization. Additionally, external agencies such as government have influence on effectiveness of a leader especially if they require certain qualifications. There are some regulations that require continuous training for risk managers and this denies them time to study their company (Al-Tarawneh, 2012). Moreover, some regulators require that organization follow a specific method in handling hazards and this may not be workable in some firms. The situation creates conflict with the familiar approaches of the leaders.  Indeed, such requirements hinder critical thinking of leaders when faced with problems. 

Employee motivation also has a significant influence on a leader because they influence the capacity of teamwork (Al-Tarawneh, 2012). When employees’ motivation is low, they are likely to fail in supporting the initiatives of their leaders. The low motivation may originate from low remuneration, poor working condition and inadequate appraisals. However, if employees remain motivated, they help in generating ideas of how to handle different problems and risks facing their company. Communication strategies that hinder direct communication between leaders and the followers also lower effectiveness of leadership of such an individual (Al-Tarawneh, 2012). Indeed, organization that fails to build a good rapport between the workers and managers suffer from ineffectiveness leadership. Further, in organization with few teambuilding activities, the employees are unable to associate as teams and this lowers their effectiveness. Indeed, without teamwork and good relationships within a company leaders are likely to fail in their roles. 

Individual differences within a firm also negatively affect effectives of leaders especially if employees are in constant conflict (Al-Tarawneh, 2012). The situation results to lowered support of organizational goals by the workers. Inability to handle emotions makes some employees develop some negative attitude towards their leaders and this lowers their productivity (Al-Tarawneh, 2012). Such issues results to conflicting relationship between them and their manager and therefore they fail focus on progress of their company. The conflicting personal interest further lowers their support for company objectives. Additionally, issues of unclear values for the company by employees make it challenging to identify with some ethical behavior. The situation leads to issues of unethical practices that pose the company to possible risks. For example, the issue of fire outbreak was avoidable if the employees working in that department took personal responsibility to report about naked wires. Finally, inadequate training makes employees unaware of their responsibilities in enhancing safety in the company (Al-Tarawneh, 2012). Actually, untrained employees are likely to add risks in the company through inability to sort flammable materials from the inflammable. Further, such employees are unaware of basic security steps to take in case of a danger. The impact is affecting negatively efficiency of their leader. 

Outline of Decision Making Approach by Risk Manager

The first step in making a decision about the fire incidence as a risk manager in the company is conducting research of the incident. Research about an incident is important because to help in understanding the factors that together contributed to the hazard (Kapucu & Garayev, 2011). Indeed, the employees would form a significant source of data that would support decision am making process. In the inquiry, the risk manager needs to know how the fire started and how fast it spread in other areas. Additionally, the inquiry would focus on understanding whether alarm was available to help people evacuate the building. Further, information about how easy employees were able to leave the premises needs capturing. Apart from this information, there is need to understand the direct response of the employees in controlling the fire and how effective it was.  Actually, the inquiry would form a basis of developing a solution that would respond to the concerns from the employees. 

After gathering the information, the next step is analyzing the information to identify lapses in the organization that facilitated the spread of fire. The incidences need prioritizing to ensure that solution develop on abases of these priorities (Kapucu & Garayev, 2011). After prioritization, the next procedure should be development of various solutions to different issues raised. A number of alternatives need to be available from where benefit and cost of each is sort. Selection of alternatives that produce greatest benefit to the company and pose significantly low cost takes place. In the situation, constant audit of safety within the premises and conducting training of employees on safety procedures follows. The implementation of the decision would then follow and later a drill conducted to gauge the responsiveness of the employees. Finally, as a risk manager, it is important to conduct a follow up to ensure that the decisions are working and all stakeholders are aware about them (Kapucu & Garayev, 2011). Any incidences of deviation from required behavior require immediate correction by the risk manager and communication made to necessary managers or employees. 

Hypothesize of the Implications of Decision Making By Risk Manager on the Future

There are different possible implications of the decision and planning to control risks and hazards in the company such as reduction of accidents or fires. The plan would provide an opportunity to have a responsible workforce that takes caution to avoid exposing their organization to avoidable risks (Nutt & Wilson, 2010). Further, it would provide a chance for employees to learn safety mechanisms and different ways of handling first aid during emergencies. The impact would be reduction of possible casualties that occurs when a disaster happens in the company. In addition, the plan allows the management to handle and account for its employees during a disaster because they are aware of different meeting point in case of fire. Another opportunity is reduction in legal sanctions from government authorities that enhance security in organizations. Actually, in incidences when government audits the organization, there is minimal possibility of getting a negative finding about safety. However, the plan poses challenges such as resistance of employees to training. Workers are significantly resistant to changes that take place in their organization. Therefore, the reception of training may be low thus limiting effectiveness of such workers when presented by a disaster in future. Additionally, the plan poses high costs for the company due to constant training from safety expert that may charge relatively high. 

Conclusion

A risk manager plays a significant role in controlling and limiting the disasters that are likely to happen in an organization. As a leader, he provides direction to the workers on their responsibilities and their role in enhancing achievement of organizational goal. However, this is unachievable without emphasis on need to be cautious and prevent risks within the company. The incidence of fire that happen end in an organization shows the need for risk managers to take decision on how to prevent such an eventuality in future. Through a seven-step process of decision-making, it is possible to make decision after analyzing different alternatives. However, such effective leadership and decision-making can negatively suffer from factors such as demotivated employees. Further, poor policies and strategies within the company in addition to lack of training influence negatively effective decision-making. It is necessary for a risk manager to identify cause of the disaster and choose best solutions from various alternatives. The decision making plans has implications such as reducing disasters in the organization and having an empowered workforce that handles first aid cases effectively. However, the plan also poses high cost for training to the company and resistance from employees to get the training. 

References

Akdere, M. (2011). An Analysis Of Decision-Making Process In Organizations: Implications For Quality Management And Systematic Practice. Total Quality Management & business Excellence, 22(12), 1317-1330

Al-Tarawneh, H. A. (2012). The Main Factors beyond Decision Making. Journal of Management Research, 4(1), 1-23. 

Atwood, M. A., Mora, J. W. & Kaplan, A. W. (2010). Learning To Lead: Evaluating Leadership And Organizational Learning. Leadership and Organization Development journal, 31(7), 576-596

Hao, M. J. & Yazdanifard, R. (2015). How Effective Leadership Can Facilitate Change In Organizations Through Improvement And Innovation. Global Journal of Management and Business Research: A Administration and Management, 15(9), 1-7

Jovanović, F., Milijić, N., Dimitrova, M. & Mihajlović, I. (2016). Risk Management Impact Assessment on the Success of Strategic Investment Projects: Benchmarking Among Different Sector Companies. Acta Polytechnica Hungarica, 13(5), 221-440

Kapucu, N. & Garayev, V. (2011). Collaborative Decision-Making in Emergency and Disaster Management. International Journal of Public Administration, 34(1), 366–375.

Negulescu, O. (2014). Using A Decision-Making Process Model In Strategic Management. Review of General Management, 19(1), 111-123

Nutt, P. C. & Wilson, D. C. (2010). Handbook of Decision Making. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons

Patrick, J. H., Steele, J. C. & Spencer, S. M. (2013). Decision Making Processes and Outcomes. Journal of Aging Research, 1(1), 1-7.