“Nothing is more difficult, and therefore more precious, than to be able to decide.” ~ Napoleon Bonaparte
We make decisions every day, from wondering what to have for breakfast to considering which outfit to wear to the office on a weekday. Our lives are full of decision-making.
Some decisions are made in autopilot mode like when your mouth knows it should chew your food or when your eyes close immediately to prevent debris from entering them.
Decision-making can also be a full-blown process. For instance, in the case where the human resources manager of a company has to set up steps to hire the best candidate for a role or when making decisions concerning the day-to-day running of the business.
Making the right decisions in our personal or professional lives is a constant activity which we must partake in as long as we live. Our minds shouldn’t get weary when we have a decision to make.
Taking the right steps and following the right processes will make any decision a walk in the park.
Stay with me as we delve into the intricacies of decision-making.
What is Decision-making?
Decision-making is the process of making the best choice concerning a matter, situation or circumstance among different options. This involves looking at the relevant data, priorities, goals and other important points.
Decision-making cuts across every part of our lives from personal, professional, business and organisational levels. The best decisions are made when the following steps are infused into the decision-making process.
1. Define the issue
What are you trying to resolve? What result are you hoping to achieve? When you make this choice, what does success mean to you?
You can better respond to these questions if you define the problem or issue. Without knowing the issue you’re trying to solve, you can’t make a decision. Determining the problem is the same as burying the seed, just as a seed must be buried in the ground before it would germinate. A farmer will not plant a mango tree if he wants an orange tree to develop.
2. Get relevant data
For many businesses, data is the life wire of success. It also helps organisations to weigh various information before acting. You need to gather the information required to direct your next course of action after describing the problem.
In a firm, this is when you organise your company’s case studies and marketing materials. If it’s a personal choice, now is the time to reflect on past experiences and recall comparable circumstances and their outcomes.
3. Get more options
As they say, variety is the spice of life. Thus, it’s crucial to have more options before deciding on anything. Possessing additional options enables you to consider several options before making a decision.
You gain a broader perspective on concepts while evaluating the risks, advantages, and repercussions.
4. Examine the proof
You are free to select from a variety of meals when there is a buffet. At that time, you make a decision based on your feelings and eating choices.
In a similar spirit, you can thoroughly review the various possibilities you generated in the preceding phase by using this step. You weigh your options and decide which will get you closer to your desired outcome.
5. Select the best alternative
Selecting the best alternative simply means making a decision. Here, you have made your choice and put a stamp on it after carefully considering all the necessary facts.
6. Take action
This phase involves writing out the strategies you must adhere to in light of the chosen course of action. That is, if you manage a firm, have an action plan that identifies the people liable for carrying out each step of your decision.
This is the time to plan your studies and set a completion date for any online courses you have selected to take for yourself.
7. Assess the outcomes
Similar to how educators assess each test taken by their pupils, make sure that your decision is being implemented correctly.
Are you getting closer to your objective? Is there anything you can change about your previous choice? Has the issue been fixed?
Now is the time to respond to these scrutinies and implement the required adjustments.
Conclusion
Making decisions is an ongoing process that affects every aspect of our lives. Utilising the procedures mentioned above can help you make excellent judgements and monitor your progress towards your objectives.
Click here to read more about Decision-Making in the Family: Steps, Types and Factors.
