While there are no hard and fast rules for decision-making, following the 5-step decision-making process will help you make tough decisions better and faster. The purpose of the decision-making process is ultimately to achieve certain outcomes, to satisfy a need, or to solve a problem. When you’ve set your Most Important Goal (MIG) in step 2, you should be ready to move along the decision-making process to identify alternatives and explore your options. This is by far the most exciting step as it is all about choices and new possibilities. Making decisions is one of the most important skills we need to be successful in business, especially important for management and leadership. It requires the ability to play out possible scenarios and weigh the benefits and the risks of each. Successful people have the foresight to make decisions based on where they want to be. Often in life, possibilities come when we least expect them. Every decision is a fresh start, a chance to choose a new direction, but only if we are willing to welcome new ideas, to keep an open mind, and to take action for the creation of something new. In essence, decision-making is the ability to see possibilities, expand choices, and embrace change. It’s important to recognize that what is possible, may not necessarily come easy to us, and almost always, getting there is different than how we imagined things would be. But we will always learn some valuable lessons. Once a problem has been clearly identified, all alternative solutions need to be identified as well. This is the brainstorming step. There’s very rarely a single solution to a complex problem. Try and generate as many options, and combinations of options, as possible. Be creative and think outside of the box. I encourage my clients to come up with as many ideas as possible, even those that might seem a bit crazy at first. Accept even the unlikely options without criticism. Allow yourself the intellectual freedom to ponder and explore your secret yearnings, the unconventional wisdom, and all the “what ifs.” The free flow of ideas can help you get unstuck and find creative solutions. It is sometimes the most unlikely option that proves to be the most beneficial. Here are three steps to effective brainstorming: 1. Gathering Information
What is/isn’t relevant to the decision?
What do you need to know to make the decision?
2. Expanding Choices
What different views may be possible?
What alternatives are available to you?
3. Developing Options
Be creative and adopt a positive mindset.
Ask “what if” questions.
How would you like the outcome to be?
The following are 4 effective techniques for brainstorming:
1. Tele-Storming
Imagine you are in a different time and place. Would your approach change if you were facing the problem while in your dream vacation destination rather than at work? What would have been your approach be if you had to face this issue 5 years ago or at a time in your life when you could take a lot more risk? Try and view the situation from an alternate time and perspective.
2. Pretend Storming
Imagine someone else dealing with this problem – your boss, your second cousin twice removed, a successful role model, etc. Put yourself in someone else’s shoes to see things from a brand new perspective.
3. Super-storming
Imagine you had a superpower. How would having that special talent change your approach? Try on as many superpowers as possible to test out many different approaches.
And a more classic approach to try out
4. Mind Mapping
Write or draw a goal, a question, or a problem in the center of a piece of paper. Then branch out into subtopics creating as many ideas as possible. For more information: www.mindmapping.com.
When gathering information before making a decision, you need to look both internally (through the process of self-assessment) and externally (using other resources.) As you collect information and brainstorm ideas, you’ll begin to identify several possible alternatives, or paths of action. In this step, you need to list all possible and desirable alternatives. This is a crucial step in the decision-making and any planning process. When you complete this step, you should be ready to move on to step 4 and weigh these options.
