Critical decisions can be tough to make in the business world. Rational decisions are important when we as humans tend to be highly emotional. However, there is a model to help those who have to make these difficult choices daily in the workplace. This guide can make the process less stressful and help you come up with clear solutions that are the best. Here’s how it goes:
1. Identify the decision that must be made: Clearly define your decision or problem.
2. Gather relevant information: Find all data pertaining to the problem or decision that must be made. This can be internal (inside the workplace) or external (outside the workplace). This is where the brainstorming begins once the data has all been gathered.
3. Find alternative answers: How many different ways can you spin this? How many solutions are there? Write down a pros and cons list of each one. Do the pros outweigh the cons? SWOT analysis and decision matrixes are helpful here too.
4. Weigh your findings: Place each alternative in order of ranking from highest to lowest based on the pros and cons lists you created. Which ones make the most sense?
5. Choose: Now it’s time to choose the best solution for your problem. Sometimes a blend of a few of the alternatives may be the answer and not just one single solution. Being an effective decision-maker involves creativity and confidence.
6. Act: Now that you have chosen it is time to act. Implement your decision but take the time to create a plan so that the team is on the same page.
7. Monitor and Review: Did the decision solve the problem? Here is where you can look at the results of the solution. Look at the solution and evaluate whether or not it has resolved the problem properly. Are you satisfied with the outcome? If the answer is no, this is when you can try another option.
Human nature causes us to be emotional but decisions should be made rationally. We shouldn’t make decisions based on reasoning that is backed by feeling. Logical decision-making can be tough to do sometimes. Following this guideline can help you and your team make the right decisions for the brand/business. Good luck and we hope this helps!
