We all have decisions to make. Sometimes they are easy, and sometimes they can be really difficult. All too often we put them off…for more time, for more information, for more courage. Elizabeth Grace Saunders provides a useful framework for speeding your decision-making in this Fast Company article.
She begins the article by identifying what she terms “the basics.”
- Book time to think. Block it on your calendar. Decision-making is as much work as the other tasks you set aside time to do.
- Define the decision. What are the key factors that will go into your decision, and what are those that will be affected by it?
- Think through the options. Don’t make it a “yes/no” choice. What are other perspectives, approaches, possibilities?
Once you have the basics in place, Saunders offers five tactics to help speed decision-making. (Use those that fit your situation and personality; you don’t need to use all five.)
- Fall back on your values. Do any of the options you are considering violate your values? If so, remove them from the mix.
- Talk it through. If you are a verbal processor, this may be a strong option for you. According to the author, the person you are talking it through with doesn’t need to be an expert in what you are addressing. The very act of talking it through can help bring clarity to your decision.
- Ask for perspective. Sometimes you do need advice, or help seeing things from a different point of view.
- Test it out. Some decisions can be tested in advance.
- Listen to your hopes. “When you’re really struggling with a decision, it’s often because your mind thinks one thing is practical while your heart wants something else. Pay attention to what you hope will happen.”
In my own decision-making, I have one additional tactic that I often apply. I ask myself, “If I were able to remove all of the obstacles, what would I do?” Then I consider whether those obstacles are real, or are my own limiting beliefs. And, in either case, I evaluate what would be required to remove them.
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About the Author: Brian Gorman
Brian Gorman is the Managing Editor of Change Management Review™. In this capacity he regularly curates articles of importance to our readership; contributes original writing; hosts podcasts; and works with guest authors.
For more than five decades Brian has been engaged in—and a student of—change at the personal, organizational, and societal levels. During this time, he has worked with both individuals and organizations (ranging from solo practitioners to Fortune 100 businesses), guiding them through a wide array of challenges. Decades of experience have given him a deep appreciation of the universal patterns that underlie successfully navigating even the most difficult changes.
In addition to his work as our Managing Editor, Brian is a transformation coach, supporting both individual and organizational change. Brian is committed to passing his “lessons learned” on to others, so that their change journeys can advance more smoothly. He is a frequent workshop facilitator and public speaker. Brian is the author of “The Hero and the Sherpa,” a chapter in the online Handbook of Personal and Organizational Transformation (Springer Publishing; Judi Neal, Editor). He also has an extensive library of blog posts, articles, and videos on the change journey, including “The Ten Most Important Lessons I Have Learned Over 50 Years of Engaging Change.”
Mr. Gorman’s formal education includes a BA in Cultural Anthropology from Syracuse University, an MA in Higher Education Administration from the University of Texas, San Antonio and an MA in Human Relations from the University of Oklahoma.
Brian is an International Coach Federation (ICF) certified coach, and is an active member in the New York City chapter. Brian is also a member of the Forbes Coaches Council and the Gay Coaches Alliance.
Related Posts
About the Author: Brian Gorman
Brian Gorman is the Managing Editor of Change Management Review™. In this capacity he regularly curates articles of importance to our readership; contributes original writing; hosts podcasts; and works with guest authors.
For more than five decades Brian has been engaged in—and a student of—change at the personal, organizational, and societal levels. During this time, he has worked with both individuals and organizations (ranging from solo practitioners to Fortune 100 businesses), guiding them through a wide array of challenges. Decades of experience have given him a deep appreciation of the universal patterns that underlie successfully navigating even the most difficult changes.
In addition to his work as our Managing Editor, Brian is a transformation coach, supporting both individual and organizational change. Brian is committed to passing his “lessons learned” on to others, so that their change journeys can advance more smoothly. He is a frequent workshop facilitator and public speaker. Brian is the author of “The Hero and the Sherpa,” a chapter in the online Handbook of Personal and Organizational Transformation (Springer Publishing; Judi Neal, Editor). He also has an extensive library of blog posts, articles, and videos on the change journey, including “The Ten Most Important Lessons I Have Learned Over 50 Years of Engaging Change.”
Mr. Gorman’s formal education includes a BA in Cultural Anthropology from Syracuse University, an MA in Higher Education Administration from the University of Texas, San Antonio and an MA in Human Relations from the University of Oklahoma.
Brian is an International Coach Federation (ICF) certified coach, and is an active member in the New York City chapter. Brian is also a member of the Forbes Coaches Council and the Gay Coaches Alliance.
