Management Tip of the Day: Imprecision Can Aid Decision-Making

Are you having trouble viewing this email? If so, click here to see it in a web browser. HOME   |   TIPS   |   BLOGS   |   THE MAGAZINE   |   BOOKS   |   STORE RSS   |   Mobile OCTOBER 9, 2012 Imprecision Can Aid Decision-Making It would be nice if decisions were always straightforward. But, a drive for clarity can actually be distracting when you're trying to set priorities. Sometimes it's helpful to be imprecise. For example, rather than ranking projects in a specific order of priority, assign them to broad buckets: "must do," "should do," and "nice to do." Instead of giving projects a specific time period, categorize them as needing to get done "now," "soon," or "in the future." That way, instead of drawing distinctions between projects, you can cluster ones with similar importance together. This simplified approach lets you understand how urgent different initiatives really are when compared to your overall strategy, rather than to each other. Today's Management Tip was adapted from "To Get Better Decisions, Get a Little Fuzzy" by Bob Frisch. Read the full post and join the discussion » Share Today's Tip: FEATURED PRODUCT The $10 Trillion Prize: Captivating the Newly Affluent in China and India Ebook Now Available Do you know that there will be nearly one billion middle-class consumers in China and India within the next ten years? So how do you convert these new consumers into customers? In "The $10 Trillion Prize," best-selling author Michael J. Silverstein and his Boston Consulting Group colleagues provide the first comprehensive profile of the emerging middle class primed to transform the global marketplace. ADVERTISEMENT Follow the Tip: PREVIOUS TIPS Become a More Valuable Employee Starting a Business? Skip the Plan Make Sure You're Solving the Right Problem Ask Your Critic to Join Your Team Improve Your Presentation in Real Time Know the Culture Before You Accept the Job Debunk the Myths Holding Your Company Back Capture Your Audience Right Away Bring Out Quieter Voices on Your Team Get Feedback, Even If You're the Boss All Previous Tips BEST SELLERS HBR's 10 Must Reads: The Essentials HBR's Must Reads Library Set Guide to Persuasive Presentations Guide to Better Business Writing Guide to Getting the Right Work Done Introducing Mobile ManageMentor Powered by the proven content of Harvard ManageMentor™ iTunes >> Android >> UNSUBSCRIBE   |   UPDATE YOUR PROFILE   |   MORE EMAIL NEWSLETTERS   |   PRIVACY POLICY Was this email forwarded to you? If so, sign up to start receiving your own copy. ABOUT THIS MAILING LIST You have received this message because you subscribed to the "Management Tip of the Day" email newsletter from Harvard Business Review. If at any point you wish to remove yourself from this list, change your email address, or sign up for other email newsletters and alerts, please visit the Harvard Business Review Email Newsletter Preference Center. OPT OUT If you do not wish to receive any email messages from Harvard Business Review, click here. ADVERTISE WITH HBR This enewsletter is read by thousands of decision makers every day. Learn more about connecting your brand with this audience. Copyright © 2012 Harvard Business School Publishing, an affiliate of Harvard Business School. All rights reserved. Harvard Business Publishing | 60 Harvard Way | Boston, MA 02163 Customer Service: 800-545-7685 (+1-617-783-7600 outside the U.S. and Canada)