How do you make decisions: quickly and decisively, after much thought and analysis, only after consulting with others?  As a fundamental part of our management strategy here at MCG, we’ve developed a decision-making process that has served us well and supported our growth through the years.

But will this same process hold up in the evolving business environment we live and work in now?  Probably not. Going forward, our leadership team — and I believe this applies to all leaders in general — must be willing to change some of the most fundamental things relied upon in the past to help them lead more effectively in an uncertain future.  Making critical decisions should be at the top of the list.

A recent article on dynamic management in McKinsey Quarterly touched on this idea and challenged leaders’ thinking about how they make decisions – not just those at the top of the organization but throughout the executive ranks.

One thing jumped out at me: “Profound uncertainty also amplifies the importance of making decisions when the time is right…at the moment when the fog has lifted enough to make the choice more than a crap shoot, but before things are clear to everyone, including competitors.”

Which begs the question, how much of a gambler are you?  How much information do you feel like you have to have before you’re willing to say go/no go?  And most importantly, how do you know when the time is right to make a decision?

I’ve had others tell me I’m a calculated risk-taker, which is to say I have no qualms about seizing opportunity or making big decisions, but I only do so when I feel I have reached some level of comfort about the options and the pros/cons of each choice.

What am I changing going forward in the “new normal?”  Timing.  We’re speeding up our processes for getting critical insights, analyzing data and debating the implications. All this so we can offer the best possible strategic counsel to our clients while also making good decisions for ourselves before (a) the window of opportunity closes or (b) somebody else figures it out.

What are you changing?

Fear of public speaking can strike even the most seasoned presenters. What are some things you can do to help you beat fear?

Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse

The better you know your material the more confident you will be.

Arrive early to your presentation

This allows you to meet some of the people you will be presenting to and ensure you have some friendly faces in the audience.

Relax

Take a few deep breaths, smile, laugh. If given the chance, go for a brisk walk or listen to your favorite music on the way to the meeting.

Speak and speak often

Take every opportunity made available to you to speak. The more you present in front of people the more at ease you will become with learning how you are reacting and how to manage those feelings.

How do you beat fear? Please share some of your best tips.

We’ve had some good news to start the new year: MCG has been named a finalist for PRWeek’s 2010 Boutique Agency of the Year. PRWeek is one of our industry’s most widely read and well respected publications, and it’s an honor we are delighted to have.

While we’ve enjoyed our share of accolades in the past, this one allows us to compete on a national stage with some of our industry’s most successful agencies.  We wouldn’t have it any other way.

Too often, organizations will only measure success against their own plan.  Relative performance – measurement against your peers — is far more rigorous than absolute performance.  Putting yourself out there against the best and brightest is exactly how you get better, which is always our goal.

As we attend the awards ceremony in New York City in March, we’ll do so with gratitude for the partnership our clients have with us, with pride in the work our employees do every day, and with confidence in the future that lies ahead for all of us — our clients, our friends and our industry.

The start of a new year always fosters fresh thinking on my part and a little dreaming as well.  What challenges and opportunities lie ahead?  What can we do better this year than last?  How can we raise the bar for our clients, our employees, our profession?

The answer is the same – there is plenty to do and likely there have never been as many opportunities to leverage.

One of my resolutions for 2010 is to encourage innovation.  We are blessed with a talented, determined staff at MCG, and I have no doubt there are many new ideas dancing around in their heads all the time.  This year, I intend to capture our team’s innovative thinking when the sparks are flying. One of the best ways to do that is to recognize when innovation occurs.  Well known management expert, the late Peter Drucker, cited four ways opportunities most often arise in companies and industries through:

• Incongruities;
• Unexpected occurrences;
• Process-driven improvement; and
• Paradigm shifts.

By doing a few simple things, you can foster a spirit of innovation among your team that will help you accomplish what you dream of for 2010.

• Be more aware of when these four types of opportunities are upon you and take the time to ask “why” and “what if.”
• Be curious.
• Make the time to pursue great ideas with equal parts rigor and passion.
• Read more.
• Be willing to take some risk to try a fresh approach.

For a little innovation inspiration, you can read more on Drucker in the November 2009 issue of Harvard Business Review.