Bureaucracy and social inertia are the greatest stumbling blocks in the path of a creative, inspired leader. If that leader is also saddled with a restrictive thought process in making decisions, he or she is doomed to the status quo or even long-term failure. There seem to be as many decision-making styles as there are leaders. However, careful research over the years has revealed a simple thought process that is fundamental to effective decision-making. It’s called Outcomes, Methods and Resources, or OMR.

The OMR thought process is simple and direct. When faced with the need to make a decision the first thing to consider—and the only thing to consider first—is the desired outcome; that is, the overall objective. Once a clear vision of this objective is at hand then the various methods for achieving it can be evaluated. Only after selecting a method for achieving the objective should one address the question of what resources will be required to execute the method.