If you want to know the HR culture of the corporate, you should carefully check the decision making courage, wisdom, freedom, authority, finally the intent and inclination of people who are working there.  Forget about how big the decision or its consequences are.  Remember, indecisive people are not just telling about their personality, they are also reflecting the prevailing HR culture of the organization they work.

Only in the air of uncertainty, people leave others to take decisions.  This is the general thumb rule.  People who act indecisive and those who are indecisive indicates only the existence of uncertainty, fear, insecurity, lack of trust, not sure of their authority etc. in the corporate.

Look at the animal world.  The young animals usually are very playful, they jump, role, run etc.  When they suddenly hear the sound of a predator, they immediately run towards their parents for safety.  The reason being, they are not sure of what decision to take nor what decision shall be right.  If we carefully examine the indecisiveness of all young animals, the causes for their indecisiveness are wisdom and of course fear but definitely not lack of trust.  They trust their parent animals and only why they leave the decision making choice to their parents. 

The prey animals that live in heard and the carnivorous animals that live either as pack or pride also leave the decision making choice to other animals only to ensure maximum benefit and success.

In corporate world, generally people leave the decision making choice to others not because of total welfare thinking.  Mostly they do so only to trap others, they show such an extra ordinary gesture.  When the decision goes wrong, the blame can be squarely attached to the person who made such decision and if the decision becomes right, they can claim that they are true team players and allow every one to grow, become independent and that is why they made others to take decisions.

It is only utter selfishness and fear to safeguard the self interest; the people in corporate let others to take decision.  Remember if no one is willing to take decision in corporate means, you need to read the corporate culture first than the individuals.  Only uncertainty and lack of clarity in corporate culture causes fear in people and the fear, makes the people indecisive.   

Do not limit your interpretation just with the indicator, but go beyond and understand the fine prints.

Dr S Ranganathan, ClinRise Derma Pvt., Ltd, Chennai

Desire, Dream and Destination – Social Entrepreneur Forum