Thirukural on Decision Making.

Thirukkural on Decision Making

Whether an  individual or a family or a firm or a country, decision making is a tough task. Some times crucial decision making becomes nerve rocking leading to mental trauma.

Weighing the pros and cons of a  decision is very important, several strategies are to  be adopted before arriving at a final decision. The risk involved in the final decision should be foreseen and analyzed.

If a problem is turned into an opportunity and properly tackled, it leads to victory.

Thiruvalluvar says that any decision should be made after a deep thinking. Later there should not   be any attempt to reconsider the decision that was made.The decision once finally made should be executed  immediately without delay

Today, decision making is made into a science with techniques like grid analysis, paired analysis etc. Through Brain storming techniques, all possible decisions in large scale is pooled,  The strength, weakness and opportunities are discussed and the best decision is selected.

Popular American writer Herbert Simon  on effective decision making  insists for gathering more information about the decision to be taken,  so that many alternatives could be developed.

In majority cases the ultimate decision maker is the leader, any fame or blame goes to him.
In case , any opinion remains divided among the top management, the Chief Executive has to decide.

When a good decision is made, it brings desired  results. In 1945, during the second world war, when Japan was aggressive and adamant , US President Harry Truman decided  to drop two atomic bombs on Japan, as a result the war came to an end. According to historians, if bombs were not dropped, the war would have continued and brought much more disaster to the world countries. Many say  the decision of US was inevitable.

In 2005, the US president George Bush made poor decision to send military to Iraq, it resulted in his unpopularity and defeat of his political party in the election.

Thiruvalluvar says in Kural 467:
"Any task should  be started after a deep thinking.
Reconsidering the decision later is a disgrace."
எண்ணித் துணிக கருமந் துணிந்தபின்
எண்ணுவ மென்ப திழுக்கு.( 467)

Every decision has its own consequences, problems should be boldly faced and wisely solved, there should not  be any attempt to go back from the decision made   

In the Kural 671, Thiruvalluvar says:
" After a careful discussion, boldly a decision should be made.
Delay in executing that  decision is totally harmful."
சூழ்ச்சி முடிவு துணிவெய்தல் அத்துணிவு
தாழ்ச்சியுள் தங்குதல் தீது.( 671)
தங்குதல் தீது = Delaying ( decision ) is bad,

At the same time,  if several activities are required for a solution,  In the Kural 672 ,Thiruvalluvar speaks of the ' concept of  priority ' which is followed in the modern management,

"Delay the actions which are not important,
Delay not the actions which are urgent."   ( Kural 672)
தூங்குக தூங்கிச் செயற்பால தூங்கற்க
தூங்காது செய்யும் வினை.( 672)

தூங்குக = delay, தூங்கற்க = delay not, 

தூங்காது செய்யும் வினை= actions which cannot be delayed (urgent).

In case of an unexpected flood, the construction of the roads can be delayed, but the relief works during a flood, earth quake, tsunami, etc should not be delayed . 

In hospital  emergency units, patients are treated on priority.  Patients with life threatening problems are attended immediately. 

During the  war time, government gives top priority to the military services.

While making a decision on  the list of activities, priority should given to  the  urgent works..
Gathering information,weighing the options, selecting the best, all these are time consuming but if the best decision is made, the result will be magnanimous.

Thiruvalluvar says, take a decision after a deep consideration, afterwards do not change the decision, immediately executive the decision.While executing, if there are  many actions, follow the   the concept of priority and take up the urgent task...
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