While there are no hard and fast rules for decision-making, following the 5-step process outlined in my last blog (The Quick Decision-making Guide) will help you make tough decisions better and faster. From the moment we wake up in the morning until we fall asleep at night, we are faced with countless decisions, most of which are routine and relatively inconsequential. Those decisions fall into our easy choices category such as which oatmeal brand to buy. However, there are choices that can potentially take us to a whole new path. These types of transformational decisions require making changes affecting not only our life but other people’s lives as well. We’ve all heard the motivational quote that every success starts with the decision to try. And the decision to try starts with a choice to change the status quo, to bridge the gap between what is and what needs to be. While the choices are hard, these “fork in the road” moments are a gift. They are precious opportunities for us to uncover new things about ourselves as we contemplate choices and new possibilities. The first step in the decision-making process starts as soon as you realize that you need to make an important decision that is likely to change your life. You will then need to identify the nature and purpose of the decision in order to resolve a specific problem. Once the problem is accurately defined, the following three questions should yield a better understanding of the situation and increase self-awareness:
Why should the problem be solved? How important is it to solve the problem?
What is the opportunity?
What is the risk?
Awareness doesn’t mean we necessarily know where things are going, but rather that we want things to be better than they are today. Choices are about actively selecting between alternatives, making the best investment of our resources such as time, money, and energy to get to where we want to be. To do so, we need to search inside ourselves and get clear on what is meaningful and important to us.
Being at crossroads can be stressful and confusing. As a career coach, I’ve learned that clients who report being “stuck” and unable to make a decision often struggle with articulating what they really want and thus can’t pursue any options because none “feel right.” The heart wrenching deliberation is typically a sign that the true desire has not been addressed. So when you find yourself “stuck” as you think about what’s not working for you, be sure to also think about what you really want, what really appeals to you. If you dig deeper and do some internal excavating, you will get a clear view, and the right path would slowly appear. But as soon as we get clarity we need to get over a major fear factor: uncertainty. When we have all the facts and take little to no risk, there’s no need for making a decision. We basically need to follow a proven and reliable operating procedure and keep walking the beaten path. Making big important transformative decisions involves taking a risk, a leap of faith, choosing to change without fully knowing where the road will take us or what the consequences will be. Fear of making the “wrong” decision or failing to achieve a desired goal is the enemy of pursuing dreams. Through my work as a career coach, I have become intimately familiar with avoidance, procrastination, and mind-numbing paralysis. Our emotions can be a great asset in keeping us safe. We can count on our automatic responses any time we face danger. This has probably saved us over the years when slamming on the breaks or ducking to avoid danger. But because emotions are our instinctive protective response, they are fallible. Fear can also keep us from daring to try new things. Fear is a sign that something important is at stake. Address the fear head-on and move forward - see my blog from Feb. 8 "Is Fear Holding You Back?".
But change is hard, and I’ve learned that at times there’s a disconnect between what we say we want and the effort we put into making it happen. Identifying and stating our desires may not be easy, but commitment to action is even harder. Thus, step one is crucial for the success of the decision-making process. It calls for an honest self-reflection not only about what we want but also about the possibility of changing, whether we are truly willing to change our behaviors and habits. Would the long-term positives outweigh the short-term cost? When faced with a potentially transformational choice, define which path will help you live more authentically. To move forward, you need to find clarity on your long-term aspirations.
So where do you start? Start by writing about the decision you need to make. Define the problem. Identify the gap between the current situation and the ideal situation. When you are ready to confront the problem and make a decision, use the following 2 techniques to better assess the situation:
1. The Inquisitive Child Technique (the Six Sigma 5 Whys tool): start by creating a clear problem statement, and then work backwards asking “why” until you reach the root cause of the problem.
Example: Problem statement: I was passed over for a promotion.
Why? I am often late for work.
Why? I get up too late.
Why? I don’t sleep well.
Why? I am stressed about work.
Why? My boss always criticizes me.
Why? I sometimes make sloppy mistakes.
Why? I hate what I do.
2. The Imaginary Friend Technique: ask yourself what advice you’d give a friend in your situation.
These two techniques work well together: first identify the root cause problem at the core of the decision you need to make, and then start to problem-solve as you contemplate the advice you’d give someone else in a similar situation. Successful decision-making involves a deep self-assessment to better understanding strengths, interests, drivers, values, and personal traits. The following are online self-assessment tools my clients have found helpful over the years. Please note: assessment tools work best when administered and interpreted by a certified professional in the relevant tool. However, the free online versions can provide meaningful insights.
1. The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)
This is one of the most well-known assessment tools. The 93 questions help identify personality preferences to inform decisions toward desired outcomes. This one is $49.95. But there are many other options.
http://www.mbtionline.com/
Free Tools
1. The Big Five Assessment
This tool consists of 50 items you must rate on a five point scale to identify your work and learning preference out of five personality traits.
http://personality-testing.info/tests/IPIP-BFFM/
2. The Keirsey Temperament Sorter -II (KTS®-II)
This tool contains 71 questions intended to measure how you communicate and what your actions you tend to take.
http://www.keirsey.com/sorter/register.aspx
3. The MAPP Career Assessment
The free version of this career test has been taken by more than 8 million people around the world. The purpose of this tool is to identify true career motivations (what you like to do) and top vocational areas (jobs that might be a good fit.) You may choose to upgrade to other MAPP Career Packages.
http://www.assessment.com/
4. My Plan.com
Here you’ll find a variety of career assessment tests. The Career Values Assessment Test is free. It can help uncover what is really important to you at work. The Career Personality Test, Career Interest Inventory, and Career Skills Profiler are available at under $10 per test. The complete package can be purchased for $19.95. You would get a list of jobs rank-ordered to match your style.
http://www.myplan.com
Self-assessment is the first and most important step in the decision-making and any planning process. Ultimately, the knowledge you gain through self-assessment will be most helpful in guiding your choices and personal and professional development. When you complete this step, you should be ready to move to step 2 and reflect on your ideal future outcome and set your goal.
