Life is full of choices, some are easy, such as what to have for dinner, and some are difficult, like choosing a career, a car, or something that is of personal nature. Regardless of how important a decision is, the ability to make GOOD decisions will play a big role in your personal and professional life.

People make decisions all throughout their day, most of which are straightforward and don’t require a lot of thought or time. However, you may come across situations where you have to decide on an issue that is complicated and have longer-term implications. And it's natural and common to feel unsure or hesitant. 

You may also feel:

Good decision-making skills will help make efficient, effective and quality decisions.

Don't Let Stress or Pressure get the Better Of You:

It’s easy to feel stressed out and anxious when you’re facing a tough choice. You might tend to rush your decisions without thinking them through, or you avoid making a decision at all because of the pressure. If you’re feeling anxious about a decision, try to manage your stress so that it doesn’t cloud your thinking.

When faced with a big decision, sometimes we lose sight of the big picture. Sometimes the cons aren’t nearly as bad as we imagine them to be, or the pros might make your options more obvious.

When you factor into a decision the things that are important to you, the best option might become obvious.

It can be helpful to get another person’s perspective on your issue, particularly if they’ve faced a similar decision in their own life. Similar to Pair-Programming, more often, talking about it and will result in you finding the solution yourself.

It's difficult to think clearly when you are under pressure, and this will directly impact the quality of the decision. Give yourself the chance to sit on a problem for a while so that you can process your options and feel confident about the course of action you choose.

Don't spend hours on it, limit the time you discuss and increase the time you think. Promote Faster-Feedback Loops and Decisions so that you may focus on the outcome as opposed (Goal and Value) to output (Implementation, Design).

If you’re up against a lot of pressure over a decision, or there are some new factors to consider, look over your options again. You might decide that your original decision is still the best one, but give yourself the option of changing course. If a decision no longer feels right for you, go through these steps again to figure out a better solution.

If you think someone may have a bad response to your decision, think through what their reaction is likely to be. Put yourself in their shoes to help you think of a good way to manage the situation.


Use a Decision Matrix Table:

Make use of a decision matrix table to help you evaluate and decide between several options while focusing more on objectives, value, outcome and priority. A well-defined decision matrix analysis method will also help reduce decision fatigue.

Decentralise Decision-Making:

Promote a decentralised approach to decision-making to ensure quality decisions can be made by those who are qualified and experts in their domains. This can also help build an inclusive team culture.