Hartford Business Journal

www.HartfordBusiness.com • February 12, 2018 • Hartford Business Journal 21 EXPERTS CORNER Strategies for making tough decisions By Bernard L. Kavaler T here are times when we arrive at a fork in the road without our GPS. We are left to the mercy of our instincts, or to unfamiliar methods that can help us navigate through unknown terrain. Here are some navigation tech- niques that are time-tested and often on target, at least for some decision- makers and some business situations. Declare victory There's something to be said for de- claring victory and moving on. Wheth- er it is in regards to a public policy or a business decision, a communications strategy or a plan implementation, one approach is to keep at it, relent- lessly and endlessly, until every ounce is squeezed out of defeat and victory is unassailably yours. Often, however, that comes at a cost. It may be too much time con- sumed or money spent, too much attention diverted or collegiality destroyed. A better option may be taking a healthy slice of achievement and defin- ing it as success, even if it's not perfect, and going on to what's next — and be- ing content (perhaps even pleased) with what was accomplished. Best left unsent You're not at all happy with a deci- sion made or action taken by a client or collaborator. And you're going to let them know, in no uncertain terms, precisely how displeased you are. Or maybe you shouldn't. Here's one way to find out. First, separate your decision to spell it out from your decision to send. Make it a two-step process. Next, write it out (or type it out). Do so with every ounce of passion you have. Let it all pour out. See the sparks fly from your fingertips. Then take a step (or two or three) back, and read it as dispassionately as possible, taking deep breaths along the way. Now it's time to decide whether or not to send. You'd be surprised how often the exercise of putting your dismay into words is sufficient to let the moment pass and prevent unnecessary damage from being done. You have, as mom used to say, gotten it out of your sys- tem. Crumpling up the page (or hitting "delete") becomes a thoughtful act, a reasoned and intentional conclusion. Search for silver linings It's not exactly turning the other cheek, but it's close. If a degree of harm befalls your business due to a professional as- sociate or business client, determine to the best of your ability whether the mo- tivation was intentional or inadvertent. Then, and only then, act accordingly. If it is unclear or unknowable, explore if there might be a silver lin- ing — even amidst an undesirable outcome. Often, there is, or can be. Next, decide whether you will seize on it or ignore it. There's likely a rationale to go either way. One path, however, is more likely to slam the door shut, the other more likely to preserve possibili- ties. Looking forward rather than look- ing backward may guide you in reaching a decision on whether or not to let it go. Supply closet roulette Surprisingly, the answer to virtually any business dilemma may just be sitting in your cleaning supply cabinet. Take your cue from the labels on the house- hold products filling the shelf. They'll tell you what to do. Shout. Resolve. Kaboom. Talk about a range of options; the prod- uct names suggest any number of tactics. Pledge. S.O.S. Finish. Survey the labels as you ruminate on a course of action. Yes, it is somewhat short of sci- entific. But no one needs to know just how unconventional your approach really was. Anyway, the label was prob- ably only reinforcing a step you were already prepared to take. One last alternative. If you are still uncertain or unconvinced, and none of these approaches work for you, rest assured that the answer is always just a coin flip away. Bernard L. Kavaler is founding principal of Express Strategies, a Hartford-based strategic communications, advocacy writing and public policy consulting business. HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM POLL LAST WEEK'S POLL RESULT: NEXT WEEK'S POLL: Should the state legislature adopt paid family medical leave? To vote, go online to hartfordbusiness.com BIZ BOOKS What Millennials want from work By Jim Pawlak "What Millennials Want from Work: How to Maximize Engagement in Today's Workforce" by Jennifer J. Deal and Alec Levenson (McGraw-Hill, $35). Millennials (those born between 1980 and 2000) are often described by older generations in the workforce as entitled, needy and lacking in commitment/engagement. If these views are true, the business world of the future will be managed by the self-indulgent. In search of the truth, the authors' decade-long research studies involved analyzing responses from over 25,000 Millennials (92 percent were "professionals") from 22 countries. Here are some highlights of their findings: Entitlement — Millennials under- stand that "the job needs to get done." They also understand that doing it often comes at the expense of their personal lives. They prefer flexible work schedules that involve work- from-home, which frees time otherwise spent commuting for personal use. Needy — They ask for constant feed- back because they feel like outsiders under the micro- scope. As such, it's important to them to find out what their work con- tributes, and if it meets or exceeds expectations. That's strategic thinking, not neediness. Aligning timely feedback with mentoring programs cre- ates the check-ins Millennials want. Lacking in commitment/engage- ment — Less than a third of those sur- veyed say they look forward to coming to work. Why? Millennials don't want to be told how to do their jobs. When given lock-step directions, they feel con- strained because they like to think about new ways of doing things. Seeing them as change agents, rather than complain- ers, would increase their engagement — and get their elders thinking, too. Authors' conclusion: "Millennials want to do interesting work with people they enjoy, for which they are well-paid, and still have time to live their lives as well as work." How does that differ from the aspirations of older generations? Should CT legalize sports gambling? 28.6% No 71.4% Yes READER COMMENTS: "I hate to think the only way to grow our economy is to expand gambling. Keno, more casinos — where does it end?" "Connecticut should legalize sports gambling and marijuana and stop raising our taxes!" "It's going on. Might as well tax it!" Bernard L. Kavaler Jim Pawlak Book Review

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