Choose to be decisive

Decisiveness is such an important skill to have but not one that comes easily to most people. It can be developed through practice. Decisiveness does not mean reckless quick decision-making, but timely well thought through ones. Here are some tips on how to improve your ‘decisiveness’

Clarify what the decision is: Sometimes, when the issue is complicated, you can focus on everything except pinning down the exact decision that has to be made.  Ask yourself – what information do you need to make the decision? What are your options? What are the benefits and concerns you have about each option?

Identify why it’s difficult to make: When a decision seems difficult think; what type of decision do you have to make; is it a ‘yes or no’ decision? Do you have to choose between a set of possibilities? Is it even a decision that you can make and then implement on certain conditions? 

Set a time limit for deciding: If making decisions is difficult for you, put a deadline to when you should have made the decision. With practice you’ll get better over time. Anticipate the future but focus on what will keep things moving quickly in the right direction.

‘Good enough’ is often what’s needed: Often the timeliness of a decision is more important than making a perfect one. And this means being able to take decisions even with imperfect information as long as it satisfies the core criteria. The decision you make can be revisited when more information becomes available.

The decision is half the task: A good decision executed badly can scare you into not being decisive next time. So when you make the decision, think through how best to implement it well and tweak it as you go.

Now take action: How can you make the decisions that are difficult easier to make?