Decision Making Skills

By: Julie Knapp

By improving your decision making skills, you'll set yourself up for greater success. If you arm yourself with the right tools and techniques and use them often-even when you're making the most minor decisions-you can make major progress.

Consider Alternatives Often
Sometimes you make decisions without even thinking about them, but try to consider your available alternative as often as you can. Soon you'll see that you're making several successful decisions each day without even trying-you can use these same skills to make more difficult choices.

Reword the Problem
Taking a different perspective of the same problem can help you make a better decision. Even though someone else may ask the question, you can reframe it in terms more relevant to your past experience.

Consider Timing
Schedule time to make tough decisions. Find a moment when you're well-rested, relaxed and have had enough time to mull over the possibilities.

Sleep On It
After you spend a day or a few hours researching the options, take a break and step away from the situation. Sleep on it and see how you feel in the morning. The decision may seem clearer to you after giving it some time to digest.

Pretend Quality-Control Is Following You
If you feel like you often make bad decisions, imagine that every decision you make is being checked by an expert decision maker, your best friend, your father or your mentor. If you feel like you're being held accountable to someone else, you may be less likely to choose impulsively or for the wrong reasons.

Follow by Example
Do you think your boss always makes intelligent, thoughtful decisions? Begin to understand his decision making process and use it as a guide. You can learn from someone else's successful decisions.

Ask the Peanut Gallery
If you're a timid decision maker, start by asking your friends and family members for their advice before making decisions. Weigh their thoughts as well as your own. Then start making decisions and asking your friends and family members what they think of the choice you're planning to make. Soon you'll feel confident in your decision making without any discussions.

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