I have always been a slow decision-maker. My mom always said that she dreaded going shopping with me, because I would need the opinions of 10 friends before I could make a decision on what to buy.
Uncertainty in decision-making continued to be a theme throughout my early life. I would mull over any big decision (or sometimes simply sweep it under the rug and ignore it altogether) until I was forced to make it. I would then make a decision, close my eyes, hold my breath, and hope for the best.
Not the most effective or insightful way to make a big decision!
I suffered from decision paralysis. The consequences of a decision seemed so daunting and large that it was often just too scary to make a decision at all. (Okay, so I’m not talking about clothes shopping anymore, although as a 15-year-old, I’m sure the consequences of buying the wrong jeans did in fact have major social consequences!)
Often, major life decisions like what job to take or what city to move to, and decisions at work about who to hire, when to hire, or how we respond to continued tension, can put us into a state of indecision.
We are inundated with decisions throughout the day. And it’s typically the ones that have the biggest consequences that hold us up.
What’s most frustrating is when this plays out in executive team meetings, or in our reoccurring monthly operational meetings. Most of us can relate to the big hairy decision that continues to be listed on the agenda from meeting to meeting because nobody can (or is willing to) make a decision.
Think about the following steps if you or your team have a big decision looming.
Set a Deadline.
We all make decisions at different speeds. By setting a deadline, you will have a concrete date by which you need to gather pertinent information to make a decision with confidence.
Know Your End Goal for the Decision.
If you are considering a new hire, is your goal to hire a colleague that fits into the company culture? Or is your goal to hire a worker bee who can do a certain number of procedures in a set time period?
If offering a new service is under consideration, is your goal to increase your market share? Or is your goal to offer the full continuum of care for patients within a certain service line?
Once you have your goal defined, you can then weigh each of the options against your ultimate goal.
Know that Decisions have Emotional Consequences and Logical Consequences.
Most decisions are made based on emotion and justified by logic. So, often we try to ignore the emotions around the decision and just make a rational decision. But ultimately we can’t ignore our emotions, because they seem to find a way to creep up (usually at the most inappropriate times).
An easy way to uncover your emotional and logical reasons for making a decision is to just ask yourself, “What is most important to me when making this decision” Then continue asking yourself the same question up to 10 times and write down your answers. By going deeper with your answers, you won’t stay in your “head” response, but will likely get to your “heart” response.
Define the Information You Need to Make a Decision.
What questions do you need to have answered to make a decision? Develop a plan to get as much information as possible, knowing that you can’t always predict the outcome, but you can prepare yourself as much as possible about the potential consequences.
Know how You’ve Made Decisions in the Past.
Are you a risk-taker? Do you make decisions and then deal with the consequences? Or are you someone who needs a lot of time to make a decision and then weighs the pros and cons to make sure that you can anticipate every possible outcome?
Either way is fine. Just know how you’ve done it successfully in the past so that you give yourself enough time to process the decision in the future. If the decision is a team decision, discuss how each person makes decisions and what they need in order to get to the finish line of a decision.
Last, Once You Make a Decision, Let it Go.
Know that you have gone through a process in which you have weighed your options against your end goal, assessed your emotional and logical needs, and gathered as must pertinent information as possible.
Now it’s time to make a decision and let it go. Know that whatever the outcome, there is always a lesson to be learned to make decision-making easier the next time around.
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