11 Steps To Become More Decisive at Work (With Tips)

1. Think about why you’re hesitant. …
2. Be open to change. …
3. Make specific goals. …
4. Find a decision-making model. …
5. Prepare yourself. …
6. Practice evaluating options. …
7. Spend less time on small decisions. …
8. Evaluate the results of decisions.

In general, according to Jessica Stern, a clinical psychologist at NYU Langone Health, uncertainty can make it difficult to remain present. Making decisions forces us to concentrate on what will happen in the future because it is future-oriented. That may affect our capacity to appreciate things or interact with people in the present, she said.

There’s a word for that feeling: Decision fatigue. The more options we have, the more overwhelmed we feel. For instance, if a supermarket sells a variety of cereals, customers will have more choices. Some people prefer that, Stern said, but others will experience much greater overwhelm than they would if they only had a limited number of options.

Your indecision might stem from a variety of different sources, depending on how it tastes. There are those who, regardless of the gravity or nature of the decision, find it more difficult to make decisions consistently; Stern said they simply feel constantly overwhelmed by the process. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, nearly a third of US adults have experienced an anxiety disorder at some point in their lives, making habitual indecision quite common.

According to her, putting pressure on yourself to make the best choice could also be related to anxiety. Decision-making becomes more challenging as a result, which compounds the problem. She explained that when you’re in that situation, not knowing where to begin can cause your mind to shut down, freeze, or become confused even though you might otherwise feel completely clear-headed.

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How to be more decisive at work

The following 11 steps will help you develop your decision-making abilities and use them at work:

1. Think about why youre hesitant

Develop strategies to overcome your hesitation to make decisions after first understanding why you have it. For instance, you might learn how others reached similar decisions if your role requires you to make important decisions but you lack experience. If you’re hesitant because of unfavorable effects from a previous choice, try to process that experience and remember that every choice is a fresh chance at success.

2. Be open to change

It’s crucial to be open to new approaches when creating a new decisiveness strategy or pattern. As your ability to make decisions grows, you might encounter new challenges or take on more responsibility. You can more easily adjust to making more decisions and observing how your surroundings change by being open to new outcomes and consequences.

3. Make specific goals

Make goals to gauge your progress and success after considering why you want to improve your decision-making abilities. It could be as easy as trying to decide on your lunch order at the deli faster. If you’re starting a new job role, consider specific actions you want to take after a week, a month, or a quarter. If you want to have more control over a situation, think about what success would look like and set small goals to get there.

You might formulate a written strategy or plan based on these objectives, detailing how you’ll deal with any hesitation or fear and how your capacity for decision-making can help you advance in other areas of your life. Having a developed strategy can assist you in tracking your own advancement.

4. Find a decision-making model

You may decide on someone to imitate as a role model since they can make learning a new skill much simpler. Consider successful coworkers or professional mentors, a figurehead in your sector, or an innovator in the contemporary workforce. Consider the person’s priorities and any information that could make them feel more prepared when making decisions. If the person is someone you know, you might set up a meeting to get their opinion and advice.

5. Prepare yourself

When a decision is imminent, you can get ready by investigating your options in advance. In the event that the situation changes or the deadline arrives earlier than you anticipated, being aware of the possibilities can increase your sense of security. Making important decisions in advance may also give you the opportunity to ask others for their opinions, which is crucial if your decisions have an impact on their work, environment, or options.

6. Practice evaluating options

It might be beneficial to practice making strategic decisions in order to improve your decision-making skills. Make a mental or written list of the benefits and drawbacks of each choice starting with one that has no deadline. You might discover that you can comprehend the benefits and drawbacks more quickly as you develop this skill.

7. Spend less time on small decisions

Consider how important a decision is before devoting a lot of time to it. When making small decisions, try making a decision right away rather than deliberating because the stakes might be lower. However, the consequences of a menu choice are typically less severe than decisions about what job to take or which career to pursue. It can be beneficial to take more time when making major decisions like career or life choices.

8. Evaluate the results of decisions

Once you’ve made a choice, consider whether it was the best one. You can take into account the personal, professional, and team repercussions of your decision as well as any future opportunities. Consider your strategy for making the decision, and if you believe you made a mistake, make a plan for what you will do differently the next time.

9. Be optimistic afterward

Positivity is a great way to reward yourself for making choices and accepting the outcomes. Think of one positive result after considering each potential outcome to put your optimism into practice. Because it provides you with information to help you make better decisions in the future, even a poor result may be helpful to you.

10. Forgive yourself

Recognize that progress entails setbacks as you work toward your objectives, and be forgiving of your past decisions. Make sure to take accountability if these decisions impact others. Put your earlier decisions in the past and focus on your future objectives after analyzing what worked and what didn’t.

11. Accept the limits of your control and knowledge

Recognize that you might not always have all the information you need to make the best choice as you learn to make decisions. Although making decisions on your own can be advantageous, you still have to work with your clients, coworkers, and other company departments. Other people’s decisions and outside influences might have an impact on or negate the effects of your decisions. Put your decisions into perspective and keep trying to make better ones because learning to make decisions is a process rather than a single choice.

Why is it important to be decisive at work?

Being decisive at work is crucial for displaying professionalism and leadership qualities. Making decisions frequently is a requirement for most jobs, from deciding how much focus to give each task to managing staff and clients’ priorities. Your coworkers and supervisors can depend on you to work independently and be dependable in stressful situations when you can make wise decisions. You can increase department efficiency and free up more time for activities you find enjoyable by streamlining and honing your decision-making process.

Tips for being decisive

Here are some tips for being decisive in the workplace:

FAQ

How do I train myself to be more decisive?

1. Practice making decisions in your comfort zone. Sticking to a decision once you’ve made it is difficult, and second-guessing ourselves is simple.
2. Make small decisions fast. Any skill can be improved with a solid grasp of the fundamentals.
3. Build yourself up. …
4. Get feedback. …
5. Don’t fear mistakes.

What does it mean to be decisive at work?

1. Understand the scope of the decision. …
2. Make a plan for how you’ll approach it. …
3. Set a realistic (yet strict) deadline. …
4. Know who makes the final decision (and why) …
5. Use the 40/70 rule to curb perfectionism. …
6. Remove options from the table.

What are the five practices of a decisive person?

Decisiveness is the capacity to make decisions that are precise, prompt, and informed by the appropriate amount of information. Decisiveness is essential for successfully carrying out plans and achieving goals at work.