Making the right decision depends on having accurate information.
Too often, rumors and biased data are substituted for facts. As the late Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan, D-N.Y., once said, "You are entitled to your own opinion but not your own facts."
One of the most important responsibilities of any business owner or manager is to obtain the right information before a decision is made. Getting the correct information is not as easy as it sounds, especially if the decision must be made in a crisis. Events seldom evolve in an orderly manner, and people tend to spin the facts to support a preordained conclusion.
It is unlikely that you will be able to eliminate all mistakes, but listed below are several techniques to minimize the possibility of reacting to bad information.
• Demand to know the initial source of the information. Unless someone demands confirmation from an original source, rumors become facts.
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• If a document is referenced, review the original document. This is critical if the situation could lead to litigation.
• Reconstruct the events that led to the crisis and challenge each allegation of fact.
• During the process, emphasize resolution of the problem, not identification of the person at fault. Use the session as a "lessons learned" exercise. If the fear of punishment is removed, people are more likely to remain objective.
Ralph Hershberger is president of SCORE Southern Arizona, a nonprofit group that offers free small-business counseling and mentoring by appointment at several locations. For more information, go to scoretucson.org, send email to mentoring@scoresouthernaz.org or call 505-3636.