One of the deeply rooted myths about how managers achieve success is that they are single-minded and quick in their decision-making. The literature of management has created a macho image about making tough decisions fast.

This is not a true picture of successful managers. They know it is wise to put off the big decisions as long as possible.

The experienced manager knows there is a price, some degree of irrevocability attached to any decision. Therefore, he will develop as many options as possible for the truly important questions to be resolved and hold off making critical decisions as long as possible. That enables him to move with a shifting environment of facts, pressures and opportunity. It also prepares the way for responding to the critics and second-guessers by saying, "Yes, we considered all of the options as long as we could."

Most of us heard at Mother's knee, "Never put off until tomorrow what you can do today." The most successful decision makers frequently break that rule.

When he was vice president of the United States, Aaron Burr flew in the face of the Puritan admonition when he advised: "Never do today what can put off 'til tomorrow. Delay may give clearer light as to what is best to be done."

Some 100 years later, President Calvin Coolidge declared: "Four-fifths of all our troubles in this life would disappear if we would only sit down and keep still."

TIME SOLVES MANY PROBLEMS

Mangers will find that with time all problems do not require answers. The simple passage of time will solve many problems. They may simply pass away or answer themselves. Furthermore, good answers are not always immediately available.

We can all learn from the parable about two men sentenced to die by the king. Upon learning of their fate, one man became terrified, but the other remained calm. The calm one said, "Your Majesty, if you will let us live, I will teach your horse to fly."

The King considered the proposition for a moment and replied, "You have one year to teach my horse to fly. If you succeed, your lives will be spared; but if not, you will be executed."

After the two condemned men left the presence of the king, the terrified one demanded of his companion, "Why did you do that? You cannot teach a horse to fly. You have only prolonged the inevitable. Now we have a whole year to dread our deaths."

"Well," replied the calm one, "four things can happen in one year. The horse could die. The King could change his mind. He could die. Or the horse just might learn to fly."

The wise careerist will recognize that he must use common sense when applying positive procrastination. It is like salt. A little brings the cooking to its best; too much spoils it all. Procrastination must never be used as an excuse for action.

Common sense says that procrastination in decision making can be a very valuable management tool, provided it is conscious and controlled.

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Ramon Greenwood

RAMON GREENWOOD

Ramon Greenwood produces a free semi-monthly newsletter providing career advice to those who want to accelerate their careers. Contact him at ramon@commonsenseatwork.com to subscribe.

Those who know Ramon Greenwood and seek his counsel likely to describe him in such terms as "realistic" and"down-to- earth." Most agree with one of his clients who recently said, "He puts his rich and varied lode of experiences to work with an eye to results. He has the ability to make even the most complicated and formidable issues seem less forbidding and more manageable."

Another client declares: "Greenwood has been in the game, in the major leagues, for a long time. He's seen the winners and the losers up close. He knows what makes the difference between the players."

Greenwood's experiences include serving as:

? Senior Career Counselor, Common Sense At Work curently. ? Senior vice president for worldwide communications at American Express; member of the board of directors of American Express Publishing Company, American Express International, Inc. and American Express Foundation. ? Vice president-public affairs Consolidated Foods Corporation (now Sara Lee Corporation).

? Senior public affairs officer, U. S. Department of Transporation, during President Gerald Ford's Administration.

? Author of HOW TO MAKE THE WORLD OF WORK WORK FOR YOU and HOW TO LAND YOUR FIRST JOB. He is co-author of THE NAME OF THE GAME IS LIFE. His writings also have included a syndicated newspaper column, "Common Sense At Work"

? Wave 9 Enterprises, Inc., CEO and director ; Children On The Go, Inc., (chairman of the board and co-founder of this Chicago- based juvenile products company) ; Cranford Johnson Robinson Woods, Inc. (marketing and advertising agency), director; Simmons First National (Banking) Corporation, director and member of the corporate executive committee.

? Management consultant who counsels, speaks and writes on a variety of subjects related to career and business strategies and organizational dynamics.