5 points to keep in mind for decision making

Decision making is both an art and science as it involves not only logical thinking but also opening up to to one’s gut feeling as well. Five important points to keep in mind for decision making by team leaders and managers are

1. Flexibility is important
Flexibility is needed so that if you missed something earlier, if so, go back and start again. Or, you may find that one step mixes with another. That’s fine, as long as you don’t overlook anything in the process.

2. “Sleeping on it “can really work
People have come up with some amazing ideas and insights when they put a decision aside for a while-even while they sleep! The unconscious mind has a way of working on its own to sort through data and generate ideas while the conscious mind is doing something else.

3. Some decisions are driven by time
There may be a need for a quick decision- one that doesn’t allow time to gather all the information you’d like when this happens, weigh the cost of waiting for more information against the cost of not making a decision in time. If a decision must be made right away, make the best decision you can based on the information you have. lf you don’t have time to analyze the information fully, go with instincts. Remember, time is of the essence, so be decisive!

4. Unnecessary “snap” decisions can be as bad as delayed decisions.
Use the time wisely. Making “snap” decisions just to appear decisive can be costly. It leads to mistakes, which can waste resources. In the long run it can make you appear foolish or careless to the people affected and to your superiors. If they lose faith in your ability to make decisions, any decision becomes more difficult.

5. Your “gut feeling” can be the deciding factor
When there’s no clear-cut best choice form among your options, go with your”gut feeling “. It’s that instinctive inner voice you’ve developed form past experience and your intuition. It can be a valuable tool in any decision, whether you use it for weighing pros and cons or deciding a close call. Logic alone may not always be enough to carry you through.

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