Early 2010, I was changing jobs. It was just after recession. The economy was picking up, many companies had started hiring again. Recession was by no means over, but the situation was far better. After a couple of years without a hike(and paycuts), the idea of changing jobs looked to be the best option.
I had prepared myself fairly well for the interviews. Confidence level was high. As soon as I had started circulating my resume, the interview calls started pouring in. I got 2 job offers. One from Nokia(The phone company) and the other from a small startup. Nokia made a better offer which was significently higher than the startup.
Most of the people with whom I discussed the offer suggested me to take up the Nokia offer. After all, it was the one of the most respected and renowned brands on earth. The decision to reject the startup offer seemed the right decision.
The phone market was however going through a tipping point. Android was gaining market share rapidly. Apple had already carved out its market space with the stellar iPhone. However, Nokia was still the market leader in smartphones with over 30% market share. Joining Nokia seemed a no brainer.
But there was one crucial variable to the whole scenario. If other phone manufacturers were catching up so rapidly on Nokia, there must be something which I was missing. I was also hired to worked on a slightly older version of the OS. I was not convinced it was the right decision.
To the disappointment of many, I went ahead and took up the offer from the startup. People were fairly certain I made a bad decision.
Its been two years since the time I made the decision. Looking back, It appears I have made the right decision. Apple and Google have bulldozed their way into the smartphone market. The CEO of Nokia sends the 'Burning Platform Memo'. Symbian is shutdown. Had I been part of the turmoil, I'm not sure I would have retained my job.
On the other hand, things could have been different too. Had Nokia turned their business around, I would have looked like an idiot to have let go of a golded opportunity. Luckily, my foresight proved correct.
This was just one example. A seemingly bad decision at one point of time, may turn out to be the best decision of our lives and vice-versa. Most decisions taken are based on one's assessment of the situation. Ultimately, one has to take a decision. Only in hindsight one can tell whether the decision made was good or bad. It may take months or years to understand whether one made the right decision.
However, its of utmost importance to back oneself after making a decision.
It is about making decisions with sufficient and relevant information needed for it. Bad decisions are, in a majority of cases, those made without information and in haste.
ReplyDeleteSome make decisions in the absence of critical information, in sight of the ostensible rewards, and brood over it for a long time. Many are often presented with more options than one; making decision inevitable.
Many, after choosing to travel in one path, keep thinking of the other paths for the rest of life. Blessed are those to whom no more options are presented in key matters than one.
The best decisions, the ones that we never regret, come from listening to ourselves. If your decision actually achieved the desired outcome, it was actually an effective decision.
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