You may be an expert, loaded with skills and insight but you are judged by the decisions you make. No one is hired to make bad decisions. Make smart ones! Your company and your team expect you to make smart choices.

No one wakes up in the morning planning to make bad decisions. It’s not a personal goal. Actually, every bad decision starts out as someone’s attempt at a good decision. So what happens that makes things go wrong?

What Kind of Decisions Do You Make?

Experts say there are two types of decisions.

•  Intuitive Decisions – the fast, emotional ones based on intuition and your “gut.”

•  Analytical Decisions – the slow, deliberate ones when you stop and think things through.

But I maintain that there is a third type that is used far too often. I call them:

*  IDon’tWantToMakeIt Decisions – Humans are hard-wired for fear. Make the real or perceived responsibility big enough and the fear of “what if?” leaves you paralyzed. You look at an IDon’tWantToMakeIt Decision and your stress level soars. You spend all your time being anxious instead of being calm and logical. As a result, you ignore your intuition and analysis and make rash, impulsive choices you wish you hadn’t made.

No One Loves to Make Decisions

Let’s be honest: Good decision-making is tough. That’s why it’s the hallmark of a leader and someone whose career is moving up. How you make smart choices is where all of your integrity, character and strength show. To make better decisions, the first thing you need to do is to avoid the things that cause bad ones. Here’s how.

Why Bad Decisions Happen to Good People

Do you ever wonder why CEOs make the big money? It’s because they make the biggest decisions. You don’t get to the top by avoiding responsibility and commitment. But that’s exactly why so many lower-level leaders, executives and managers are stalled where they are. They make snap decisions or pass the buck entirely. You see them in every organization: These executives avoid commitment like 20-somethings at a single’s bar!

Bad decisions happen because it’s too easy to let outside factors cloud the process. Have you ever met any of these decision-makers? Or are you one?

It Worked Before So Let’s Do It Again

It’s like the disclaimer on mutual funds – past performance is not an indicator of future returns. Just because something happened before doesn’t mean it will happen again, unless the situations are identical. We like to rationalize our decisions as based on “experience,” but it’s really overconfidence because situations are seldom identical. Be honest: This type of decision-making is lazy and overrated.

The Decision is Made, So We Can’t Change It

How often have you ever heard someone say that? The majority of decisions aren’t chiseled in stone. They can be changed if you are willing to admit making a bad decision and take responsibility for correcting it. Time may heal all wounds, but it doesn’t heal poor choices. Every day that goes by will guarantee that what you considered an honest mistake will look more and more like ignorance and self-interest.

I Have To Watch Out For …

No one is 100% objective. There is always a bias toward your favorite people and friends and against certain other organizations and competitors. Loyalty is a virtue that can really cloud your decision-making. And the more personal the decision, the harder it is to make. So you have to recognize that the “hooks” are there and try to take them out of the process.

5 Steps to Make Smart Choices

Instead of relying on those impulsive, snap decisions, slow down. Take the time to follow a five-step strategy and you can show that you are a leader who can be relied on for smart thinking and great results. Just:

1. Understand the actual decision.

There is often a difference between the “official” explanation and what the actual choices mean. Eliminate the assumptions, guesswork and the seductive wishful thinking. Be coldly realistic about the situation, how it happened and the decisions that created it. You aren’t blaming anyone; you just have to understand before you can move forward.

2. Gather the relevant data and information.

Remember there are intuitive and analytical decisions. Every decision you make is the result of an emotional/rational balance. Avoid being pushed into making a decision without data.

3. What are the specific results you want to achieve and the time schedule?

Most bad decisions begin here. What do you want to happen and what do you want to avoid? You simply can’t make an intelligent decision without considering both the positives and the negatives. Take a few minutes to think it through.

What are the ultimate implications of each option?

Whom will it impact?

What decisions will it force these people to make?

What will be the result of their decisions?

When is the best time to implement the decision?

Remember, your decision usually isn’t the only one. It sets off a chain of other decisions. Focusing on the desired results and the people involved will help you to establish the objectives and a direction.

4. Prioritize the best available options.

This is where most good decisions die! At the beginning of the process, you have the most realistic options and a few weak ones. The longer the decision-making takes, the more viable options are eliminated because of time, money and resources. Finally, it’s the deadline and there’s only one option left. This is usually how all those difficult decisions we dread making get decided. Hey, you can’t be accused of making a rotten decision when you didn’t have any options, right? But just between friends, you aren’t fooling anyone.

“The last available option is never the best decision.”

A Wise Man

5.  Now make the decision.

There is nothing valuable, noble or impressive about the decision-making process. The process doesn’t generate the results – making the decisions does. So do it, and get it acted upon quickly.

What to Do If You Can’t Decide

Strategy A – Follow Buridan’s Ass – French Philosopher Jean Buridan developed this strategy, and it is incredibly valuable. Here’s the story. An ass stood between two tasty-looking bales of hay. It was trying to decide which bale to eat because they both looked delicious. Ultimately, the animal never decided so it starved to death from indecision. The moral – Don’t let indecision make an ass out of you.

The Plan – You are down to two “equal” options. Instead of being confused by the perceived benefits they offer, make a list of all the drawbacks and negatives.  Evaluate the negatives and I’ll bet that the options won’t be equal any more.

Strategy B – Flip a Coin – Don’t ignore this age-old suggestion because I’m 100% serious. Remember that decisions are a combination of rational thinking and emotions. But there are times when the best, most logical decision is one we just don’t want to make. When that happens:

1.  Grab a coin.

2.  Heads = Option #1.

3.  Tails = Option #2.

4.  Toss the coin.

Quickly – how do you instantly feel about the results? If you feel pleased and relieved, then it’s the decision you secretly wanted. If you feel like trying for the best two-out-of-three, then it’s not the decision you really wanted. I realize this idea may seem too simplistic, but it works. I’ve helped decide millions of dollars’ worth of business by flipping a coin.

Be The Person Who Makes Things Happen

I hope I’ve convinced you that no one is hired to make bad choices. It’s not a career goal. Making decisions isn’t always easy, popular or rewarding, but someone has to make them. Wouldn’t you like to be known as a person who knows how to make smart choices?  Hey, that’s how the people at the top got there. They didn’t duck, divert or avoid decisions – they made them. So, be a smart decision-maker and you can make the right things happen.

Let’s spend 15 minutes talking about your next project or challenge. It’s a free consultation so we can get to know each other. Just click on CONTACT US or send an email to andy@ideagroupatlanta.com and get in touch.

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