Every day, from the moment we wake up until we rest, we make decisions. What clothes do we wear? What do we want to eat? Or which street do we take to get somewhere? These are questions we ask ourselves and answer in a matter of seconds or minutes, by making decisions.
The corporate world is also full of moments when decision-making can change the course of an organization.
A survey by consulting firm McKinsey Quarterly of 2,207 executives found that only 28% of the strategic decisions in their companies were good, 60% said bad decisions were as common as good ones, and the remaining 12% said they were very good decisions.
Making the right decisions can help your company grow. Follow these steps and speed up this process.
- An open attitude toward the unknown. Facing an unknown or not fully understood situation, look for information, analyze the situation and its possible outcomes. This will help you look at the future with more peace of mind, even if it's uncertain.
- Be creative. A dose of imagination can give new shades or alternatives to your most important decisions. For example, surprising your customer or introducing a new workplace practice among your staff that keeps them motivated at all times.
- Manage the importance of things. There are situations that need full attention, but others that can be delegated. The fundamental decisions should be the ones that demand building a strategy, or those that will give an innovative turn to your brand or company.
- Get ahead of the scenarios. It's true that no one has a crystal ball, but it's always healthy to think about the consequences that decisions can bring. What's the worst that could happen? Would it not have much impact? Or what's the best that could happen? These are questions we should ask ourselves to clear up any doubts.
Decision-making isn't an easy task, but by following these steps we help make things simpler, both in small matters and in the fundamental, urgent ones.