An oft used phrase and one I suspect will be being bandied about even more as pressure increases within organisations looking to complete their FCA application process perhaps having left it a little late! But putting your house in order for the FCA is not going to cause paralysis, quite the opposite; following the application process will cause any a blockage to be unblocked and many a kink to be un-kinked.

So when does analysis become paralysis? There are several signs to tell you that your business has become bottle necked by the actual act of analysis rather than benefiting from the information it provides. Although it goes without saying that a business with a culture of over analysis will have individuals suffering the same malaise often enduring in silence and at great cost to their mental health and well being. So what does it look like?

1. Far too many complicated options are offered as a solution to a problem meaning that ultimately a decision can never be reached.
2. There will be a general avoidance of taking any short term action as there will be a reluctance to change course and try something different, the only desired outcome sought will be the perfect outcome rather than risking anything less.
3. The sheer quantity of analysed data renders the results unfathomable through dilution and with conflicting outcomes triggering requests for yet more data.
4. Projects take too long to get started and too long to complete where stages are reviewed and revised by multiple shareholders, each bringing different perceptions and opinions to the table meaning decision making becomes oppositional and often stressful.
5. Higher than usual sickness levels caused by stress, can be caused by a fear of making the wrong decision and subsequent punitive action. An environment often created by micromanagers seeking to control all actions and tasks whilst avoiding taking any actual decisions or making any meaningful progress.
6. Excessive emails purporting to confirm / seek options and actions copied into anyone and everyone who may have a vested interest, responses then sent as ‘reply all’ causing a roadblock of meaningless information and opinions ensuring the actual issue gets sidetracked or even buried.
7. A higher than usual number of meetings with ever growing attendees thus reducing even further productivity. You know what they say about too many cooks!

By becoming over rational or allowing key individuals to become over rational you risk losing the entrepreneurial spirit needed to grow and expand your business, even if left to grow organically, a business needs to take some measured risks even when there is awareness that there is a chance of failure. Knowing the risks does not mean you don’t take them, but that you can take them fully aware of all the possible outcomes and are prepared and accepting of those outcomes.

So how do you reach a happy medium of creating useful data that provides clear answers that everyone can see, understand and agree on?  Robert Mueller said “they’ll be differences of opinion in just about every intelligence analysis that you make” and therein lies the rub, you cannot keep asking  for more analysis and re-discussing until you finally satisfy all stakeholders, peoples individual agenda’s and preconceptions will inevitably sway their decision making and affect the general consensus. Procrastination is known as the art of keeping up with yesterday.

• Recognise those as risk adverse and those as risk takers and ensure an even mix within your team of decision makers,  being top heavy one way or the other only causes problems.
• Set clear time limits for delivery and completion of each stage of the project. Chase if necessary, over thinkers will soon get the message.
• Keep the decision making team a workable size with an open channel of communication to those on the periphery with a vested interest.
• Maintain a structure within your analysis, before its presented, have a prepared interpretation rather than expect everyone to be reading it as you do and see the same outcomes.
• Identify pros and cons to be discussed rather than have these teased out in an overly long meeting.
• Talk to your key people often to check they are comfortable with their assigned tasks, check their progress to make sure they are making headway and are not quietly frozen by fear. A good manager will see this if they look.

The vitality of your organisation depends on the vitality of your staff, bogged down in the mire of non decision making is something best avoided…don’t you agree?

This article is provided for general information only. Please do not make any decision on the basis of this article alone without taking specific advice from us. stevensdrake will only be responsible for the advice we give which is specific to you.