Unleash Your Potential #13 - Decision-Making

Douglas: Welcome to the Unleash Your Potential Blog, what question can I answer for you today?

PathFinder: How can I improve my decision-making skills? 

Douglas: I love this question! I tend to get stuck in “researcher” mode which leaves me continually gathering information. I am so good at it, that I can convince myself that looking things up and finding out new information is action, which it is not. Well, it is passive action. Decision-making is critical if you are going to make progress. Even if the decision ends up being the wrong choice, you can learn from that and better inform the next decision. But you have to start by making decisions!

I offer you a simple 7-letter word to help you remember some effective steps to help you A.C.H.I.E.V.E. effective decision making.

1. Admit you have a decision to make. Sometimes we don’t even realize we need to make a decision. You have to have a clear vision of the decision that needs to be made. This is a critical first step. Clarity is important!

2. Collect Information. This is where I often get stuck. To make a decision you do need to get some information. Some of this information is internal (you have to understand how the decision will impact you, what skills and resources you bring to the table, etc.). Some of the information is external and you will need to seek it out.

3. Hunt for alternatives. This is an extension of collecting information, but it is specific to figuring out which directions you can go. With all the information you have collected, remember that you always have choices! What are the possible paths you might take?

4. Inspect the alternatives. Once you have a list of alternative paths, inspect each alternative. What are the pros and cons of each alternative. Which alternative is most likely to lead you to the outcome you desire?

5. Embrace an alternative. Once you have inspected the alternatives, it's time to decide which one is the best for this situation and embrace it. This is the one you are going to commit to in the next step.

6. Venture into action. This is the moment! You have collected, hunted, inspected, and embraced a path. Now you need to take action! No looking back now…as Nike says, Just DO IT!

7. Evaluate the decision. Every decision we make has consequences. This is probably the most important step. Decision-making is less valuable if we don’t evaluate the effectiveness of our decision. What did you learn? How can you use that knowledge to better inform your next decision?

That’s it! Follow these steps to help you ACHIEVE better decision-making. You won’t always make great decisions, but with these steps you will make decisions, and even better, you will learn from them!

I hope my answer sheds some light on your question. If you want to dig into this concept further, I encourage you to reach out and set up a conversation. In the meantime, check back tomorrow for the next question in the Unleash Your Potential Series!

Be Well!

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