Rational decision-making can make the difference

Lately, the Bureau of Corrections (Bucor) has been the subject of comprehensive Senate inquiries. The problems and issues unearthed are so complex that they are beyond comprehension. It is very evident that management has been remiss in the exercise of the decision-making process. If one does not act immediately due to indecision, the opportunity vanishes unless a radical change is undertaken.

The decision-making process starts with the identification of the problem. The other significant components are the mission, exercise of authority, assumption of personal responsibility, and a decisive influence on the courses of action. The focus must be on the causal or root causes over the effect problems. The Senate inquiry exposed the gross ineptness of the office. Management focused on remedial and corrective measures through the iteration and sugar-coating of existing policies, a recycling of past failed solutions, running around in circles, the more frequent of which reduces the quality of the decision. The outcome is a carry-over of past decisions. Past decisions were influenced by past events and not the future; therefore, there is an absence of creativity and innovation. In short, past decisions were just rehashed.

Decision must be based on knowledge and data. When it comes to the Bucor case, the decision-making process is slanted towards the whims and caprices of officials and inmates. Management ignored warnings that led to a host of problems affecting the quality of the decision. The integrity of data was doubtful. The internal alignment of the decisions with the organizational vision was incongruent. This is also one reason in the development of a negative mindset and the compromising of organizational cultures. It unmasked a serious information flaw. All data as bases in decision-making were compromised if not reconstructed to adjust to administrative loopholes.

Officials lack the appreciation of the importance of the integrity of records. They cannot discriminate between the implied or expressed effects of indecision as long as their personal greed is satisfied. It has become a rule rather than an exception. Related to information management is the absence of an efficient communication channel system. Since almost all employees, management or rank and file levels, act on their own initiative, the official channels of communication are bypassed. Information becomes turf for influence and power which is rarely shared because each one is jealous of the other. It is one means to pursue personal selfish interests. The conflicting statements of the Bucor officials who testified revealed conflicting data, a consequence of the lack of coordination and teamwork. The leadership did not express any remorse or acceptance of command responsibility.

Failure to execute is the byproduct of indecision. They failed not because of bad policies, but because they did not carry out the policies well enough. In the execution of policies, efficiency does not rest only on the higher echelons of leadership, but likewise must be present and manifested in all levels of the chain of command, from the lowest rank to the topmost executive. A break in the chain collapses the common thread that links the organizational hierarchy. All levels have been infected with graft, inefficiency, ineffectiveness, and complacency. This is one major reason why, in spite of the appointment of generals with distinguished military and police service records, honed on leadership of the highest order, their stewardship was not good enough to influence the situation.

Experience can improve decision. Past chiefs possess vast experience but sometimes over-experience may lead to over-confidence, arrogance, and inaccurate perception which in turn limit creativity. It is an epidemic, its control and eradication are still in the research and development stage. The root cause of any breakdown is simply failure to execute. The operational breakdown had much to do with the underlying culture of the institution. It has metamorphosed into a culture of apathetic attitudes. The executives were not trying hard enough. The command staff, and rank and file employees have the necessary skills and training that defines their tasks and responsibilities. The real problem is that they do not try hard enough. Their motivation to perform is predicated on monetary consideration. They are callous about the consequences which their institution may suffer as a result. In short, they lack the corporate citizenship that defines strength and stability. When personal interests are disoriented relative to corporate goals, the operational and strategic outcomes will always be a disaster and end in failure. Its effects on governance and management will be irreversible. That is what the majority of Filipino people see in Bucor — a fractured and hopeless bureaucracy. If it is compared to a publicly listed corporation, it could have crashed long time ago. Appointing the best, the brightest, those with a distinguished track record is no guarantee for success if reforms are done on a piecemeal basis.

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How many Bucor chiefs have passed through its portal under different administrations? No value-added has ever been infused. The organization’s members lack the understanding of the concept of professionalism and meritocracy. The colossal blunders that resulted in the Senate investigation are not isolated cases. In fact, they appear in clusters. Those in Bucor are content with mediocre performance. It has become the domain of failed governance. Probably, only a miracle can reverse the tsunami of misdeeds and underperformance.

The unmasking of corruption of unimaginable proportions surfaced due to the timely intervention of the President. Had the exposure been kept under wraps, probably cover-ups and justifications would have swept the anomalies to the dustbin. The President once again manifested his decisive leadership. It must also be emphasized that this issue is a carryover of past administrations increasing in arithmetic progression through the years.

Is the Bucor situation a hopeless case? If a cancer has metastasized and affected the vital organs of the body, no amount of palliatives or chemotherapy will reverse the situation. Is it logical to compare an organization to a human body? In simple parlance, the disease at Bucor has metastasized and has affected the inner recesses of its existence.

The strength of an institution depends on the quality of the decision mode at various levels in the organizational hierarchy. Peter Drucker said: “The great majority of decisions will lie between two extremes, a choice whether to act on a problem or not.” It means that one has to act when a situation is about to deteriorate or when an opportunity arises. Inaction, and if one does not act due to indecision, are the inputs to failed governance. As the saying goes, indecision is worse than a wrong decision.

The grim reality must be viewed as a challenge. It must start from the rational application of the decision-making process. It can gradually develop traction that may reverse the situation.

The article reflects the personal opinion of the author and does not reflect the official stand of the Management Association of the Philippines or the MAP.

Lt. Gen. Jaime S. de los Santos (Ret) is a Member of MAP National Issues Committee, a former member of the military, a farmer, and a professorial lecturer of management (part-time) at UP Diliman.