{"id":4984,"date":"2017-05-03T08:08:54","date_gmt":"2017-05-03T08:08:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/?p=4984"},"modified":"2022-05-23T14:47:34","modified_gmt":"2022-05-23T12:47:34","slug":"5-questions-better-decision-making","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/5-questions-better-decision-making\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Ways to make smarter decisions (plus: free template)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Whether you\u2019re making high-level managerial decisions, trying to assess various career opportunities or solving personal dilemmas, following a sound decision-making process is vital<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Harvard Business Review found that managers who used decision making best practices achieved their expected results 90% of the time, and 40% of them exceeded expectations.1 <\/sup><\/p>\n

\"decision-making<\/sup><\/p>\n

What is the best decision making process<\/strong>? The short answer is there isn\u2019t a rubber stamp solution to every problem.<\/p>\n

Each decision comes with its own set of variables, all requiring a different approach to the last. Your best option for making intelligent decisions is to utilise a base framework that can be moulded to each unique situation.<\/p>\n

Become more adept at making good decisions by answering the following questions about your problem.<\/p>\n

What objective are you trying to achieve with your decision?<\/strong><\/h5>\n

A powerful way to ensure you get the best solution to a tough situation is to write your desired objective down.<\/p>\n

Professor of Psychology at Dominican University of California, Dr. Gail Matthews found that 70% of participants who wrote down their desired outcomes achieved them successfully, compared to only 35% of participants who successfully realised their objectives without writing them down.2<\/sup><\/p>\n

\"decision-making<\/p>\n

Follow these three steps to summarise the crux of the issue as briefly as possible:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Write down the difficult choice you\u2019re trying to make and everything affected by it<\/li>\n
  2. Reread what you just wrote down and identify one key issue<\/strong><\/li>\n
  3. Remove anything that isn\u2019t directly related to the problem<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
    What alternatives are there to your current preferred solution?<\/strong><\/h5>\n

    Are you entirely certain the decision you\u2019re contemplating is the best solution to your problem? Have you considered the possibility of other routes to the objective you\u2019re trying to reach?<\/p>\n

    In a study published in 2012, Thomas Mussweiler and Ann-Christin Posten found that when people compare options available to them they become much more confident in their judgements.3<\/sup><\/p>\n

    \"decision-making<\/p>\n

    Added to that, you are more likely to choose something purely because you\u2019re familiar with it.4<\/sup> Force yourself to think outside of your comfort zone and find the best solution, not just the one you know the best.<\/p>\n

    Aid your decision-making process by opening up your mind to the possibility of alternative plans of action:<\/p>\n