Today, we discuss the importance of decision-making abilities for success in numerous fields such as business, sports, and personal life.
“Who are we playing today?”
One of the last questions we asked our players before they left the locker room and ran out on the field was “Who are we playing today”? The resounding answer they responded with in unison was always “ourselves”! At Step Up, we, as leaders, recognize that decision-making is an essential skill for success in any domain, whether it be in the boardroom, on the field, or at home. As executives, business owners, coaches, and parents, we bear the responsibility of not only making decisions ourselves but also fostering an environment where others can make sound and confident choices. We view this as an opportunity to empower the individuals we are developing to take ownership of their actions and develop critical decision-making skills that will serve them well in their personal and professional lives. Two significant barriers to decision making are anxiety & self-doubt.
How do you empower your team to become more decisive and deal with this “fear” of making a poor decision or even “failing”?
Determine multiple solutions to the problem rather than the first one that comes to mind. Seek input from others who have experienced the same issue and ask them why they made the decision they did and what they learned from their decision.
Place stop-loss orders on your worries, set a limit on how much time and energy you will spend worrying.
Choose the decision that you believe is best and commit to it. Not making a decision, delaying a decision or wavering from it is having the decision made for you. Take action on the solution that you determine is the best one and commit to make it work versus taking no action and just worrying.
Ask the question “What’s the opportunity if you make a suboptimal or wrong decision? What will you learn? How will you grow?” We grow by moving outside of our comfort zone and doing what we haven’t done before. We grow by “failing” our way to success. Make your decision, learn from it and use it to become the person you aspire to be!
