Complex subjects, lack of information, many actors – in today’s working world it is not easy to make good decisions quickly. Which methods can help? Why are emotions, intuition and cognition inseparably tied together in the decision-making process?
„Die neue Entscheidungskultur: Mit gemeinsam getragenen Entscheidungen zum Erfolg“. Carl Hanser Verlag, 2018 – test read by Thierry Ball in managerSeminare
Making decisions in the VUCA world “good and right” is not so easy. A new decision-making culture could remedy this. The author Richard Graf describes how such a culture could look in many different ways. He argues that good decisions can only be made with the help of an interplay of emotions, intuition and cognition, in short: K-i-E.
With this goal in mind, he presents his K-i-E concept, which he has developed over many years. According to Graf, knowing how K-i-E works together is a prerequisite for good decision management – as is collaboration. That is, far-reaching decisions can only be made conscientiously when reached together in a team, in which all members act on their own responsibility.
To achieve this, it is necessary to move away from classic management concepts and to turn to an integrative management style.
Graf shows how this can be achieved, why commitment is important and what forms of agile decision-making there are. Supporting tools are presented in detail, e.g. K-i-E agile, the integration of the individual employee and his or her capabilities into a larger whole as well as the K-i-E scale, a universal rating system, and the K-i-E quality process, which entails the making of jointly accepted quality.
Information density
The information density is very high. Nevertheless, the reader is not overwhelmed. He is provided with more than detailed, in-depth insight into the sub-themes presented.
Visual design
The book’s almost 500 pages have their physical weight. The layout corresponds to the complexity of the topic. The continuous shades of grey have a sober and not very stimulating effect on reading. The small font requires attentive reading. Certainly, lived decision-making culture is more lively and emotional than visually represented here in Graf’s book. His work is clearly structured, the outline easily recognizable. Nevertheless, it is necessary to return to the table of contents for orientation from time to time while reading. It makes little sense to read the book crosswise, as the chapters are based on each other. It makes little sense to read the book by skipping randomly throughout the chapters, as each chapter is based on and builds upon the next.
Understandability
The target group, “decision makers” with and without leadership responsibility, is guided through the complex subject area in understandable language.
Each chapter is structured in the same way, which facilitates the flow of reading. There is also a helpful summary at the end of each chapter. Technical terminology is explained. A detailed keyword index helps you to find topics quickly.
Suitability
In short, this book is suitable for anyone who wants to and has to make responsible decisions in their job and everyday life and who feels that digitalization & Co. has pushed them to their human and emotional limits. The book offers theoretical background information and functions at the same time as a practical guide and advisor through the “Best Practice” section.
Relevance
The New Decision-Making Culture is a valuable and truly weighty handbook that offers detailed insight into the world of decision-making culture and goes beyond standard literature. It is particularly recommended for people with leadership responsibility who want to make clear and responsible decisions in the fast and complex world of VUCA.
Review
Thierry Ball is a systems engineer and executive coach. His goal is to prepare managers for change and to achieve this aim, he has developed the concept “Selfment®”, which covers topics related to self-management, self-discovery and self-responsibility.
The review was published in managerSeminare, 2019, issue 256.
More about the series of managerSeminare
Further articles about the series managerSeminare can be found after the source below under tags “Article series managerSeminare“.
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May 2020 – Richard Graf, Elsa Graf
“In understandable language, the target group “decision-makers” with and without management responsibility is guided through the complex subject area.” Thierry Ball
Sources:
https://www.managerseminare.de/pdf/managerSeminare256-Testgelesen.pdf
GRAF, Richard. Die neue Entscheidungskultur: Mit gemeinsam getragenen Entscheidungen zum Erfolg. Carl Hanser Verlag, 2018.