Book Review Summary
Tittle: The Go Point
Summary:
This book, “The Go Point”, is describing about the author interviewing and writing about how the choices of the people who needs to make a decision. Although it isn't easy to make one, turning back is also not an option. Also, experience also counts in making a decision. You do not make an instant decision if you do not know how, what is happening or you are in an unfamiliar environment.
One example in the book is that it talks and analyses about the decision made by the firemen while fighting wild land fires in Colorado. This was a huge incident as fourteen wild land firefighters died while trying to put out the fire. So how are decisions made when the leader was at the “go point”? Most of the time when fighting wild land fires, decisions made are often haste and problems arises. Of course, wild land firefighters often come in separate groups. These groups will come together and a leader will be selected to lead the whole team to fight the larger fire. Already, there is a problem between the corporation of the teams. The leader also do not know what the other groups are good in and this results in a chance of choosing the wrong group to do the wrong job, eg: asking an accountant to do a secretary's work. In this example of the Colorado deadliest wild land fire, already there was another problem arose before the team started out to fight the fire. There was not a definite team leader in charge of the everyone and thus not one of the three group leaders went to check out on the weather and fire conditions, as required per normal, leading to a disastrous effect that will take place later, killing fourteen of them. Through this example, i have learn that being a leader is not easy. You are responsible for all the men under your command. And especially, when authorization of a leader is being blurred. You can still make decisions for the men under you, but also there can be other people telling you men to do different stuffs for the same thing. A clash of decision making will occur and the men will definitely become confused of what to do. Also, when under immense stress, one still have to be disciplined enough to stay calm and think through of what to do in those strenuous conditions. One must also not put your men in unnecessary risks if given the chance to do so.
Through this book, i realized that decision making is very important in our everyday lives, no matter what you are doing and where you are. Every single, little decision will always amount to this one “go point”. Depending on each individual, different decisions will be made. Of course, the results will also be different, whether in the good or the bad way. In this book, he has put up many templates on how to make these decisions proper. First, it is to suppress every individual's fear of making complicated decisions that affects many people. Second is to look to the future instead of looking to the past. True, you do learn and obtain experience from the past events, but it will not solve anything if you based your decisions on them. The scenario has changed and although the same problem arises, it does not mean that using the same method of solving the problem from the past will obtain the best possible effect. Thirdly, is to take the strategic initiative. Always ask yourself if the current strategy will still prove winning in the months ahead. If not, always look for alternate means.
Done by:
Oct Lim Kah Yeow
Flight 3
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