Reflective or reflexive? Which one is better? What in the world are we talking about?

Consider Sandra, a mid-level manager at a company that sells medical devices. She quickly rose through the ranks because her sales were consistently higher than her peers. "Given the pace of business right now, you can't overlook any kind of detail. You have to assess a problem in front of you, make a quick decision, and move right on to the next problem. After several years of experience, I now rely more on intuition."

Compare this with Sam, an engineering manager with an aerospace company. She received a lot of recognition for consistently meeting deadlines and delivering results on time and on or under budget. However, she’s well-known for developing talent and skills in her team members. “There’s no handbook. Each situation and each person is unique. Genuine curiosity is what I bring to each situation because it provides the unique data for making effective decisions."

What's the difference between these two managers?

Sandra is what we call a reflexive leader. Over the years, she's developed her own personal algorithm for situations. Through experience, she's cultivated a set of habits and standard practices that she relies on to make important decisions- kind of like being on "auto-pilot".

Sam, on the other hand, seems to have turned off her "auto-pilot". Even though she has the same amount of experience as Sandra, she approaches each decision with a fresh set of "eyes"- constantly using "in-the-moment" facts and nuances to guide her. She even uses the word "curious" to describe how she views each situation. Sam is a reflective leader.

So...which is better? Management and leadership is not really routine. A manager will certainly have routine situations, but the world of business is constantly changing! Expectations are evolving, new competitors are emerging, and technology continues to advance and accelerate in new ways. AI is changing the face of the workforce. Managers who rely on reflexes based on historical data or past experiences often fail to consider how things are radically changing- and how those changes present circumstances different from anything they've seen before.

In order to thrive, managers need to become more reflective in their thinking, but how?

Consider implementing the following habits...

Pause and take a breath before responding or acting.
Bring a curious mind- even to what you think is a routine situation.
Ask “what if” questions to better understand opportunities and possibilities.
Challenge yourself to resist an automatic pilot response.
Allow thinking time before offering answers or direction- (try adopting the 24 Hour Rule ).

Learning Objectives:

After studying this chapter, you will be able to answer the following questions:

What are the basic characteristics of managerial decision-making?
What are the two systems of decision-making in the brain?
What is the difference between programmed and nonprogrammed decisions?
What barriers exist that make effective decision-making difficult?
How can a manager improve the quality of individual decision-making?
What are the advantages and disadvantages of group decision-making, and how can a manager improve the quality of group decision-making?

Learning Activities:

Read: Read Chapter 2 in your online text.

Assignments:

1. Complete Chapter Two In-Class Assignment

2. Complete Chapter Two Online Quiz