hardest things first so you’ll have a clear
mind,” she advises.
Listen to Understand
Carroll says a strong listening skill set is
invaluable in decision-making. “To seek
out a resolution means to understand
the issue. Ask questions to get as deep
into the issue as much as possible,” she
says.
Aside from the ability to listen well,
good leaders tend to also nurture their
own employee’s decision-making
capacity. “Encourage your employees to
be self-sufficient so they can have
autonomy over their decisions,” says
Alicia Grande, CEO and founder of
Grande Naturals, LLC based in White
Plains, New York. She stressed, however,
that one cannot do this without hiring
the right people. “Make sure to hire
competent people you trust to think
freely and make decisions. When
making decisions and delegating to
others, take note of their comprehension, give them a minute to write
things down, assure they are absorbing
your instructions, and give them space
to execute.”
Good decision-makers make it a point
to never stop learning. “Someone else
has probably already dealt with similar
issues at hand, so read leadership books,
or even better, follow business and
leadership blogs on a regular basis. This
can help support and shape some of
your own thought-processes before the
need to make a decision,” Carroll says.
Analysis Paralysis
The fear of making the wrong decision is
often the main reason why many find
decision-making difficult. In the process,
one falls into the trap of over-analyzing
a situation or problem, eventually getting
crippled in a state of “analysis paralysis.”
“People are afraid of making
decisions because they get comfortable
[and are afraid of change],” Grande says.
But James says the best strategy to
avoid analysis paralysis is to eliminate
procrastination. “Set realistic deadlines,
allowing an appropriate amount of time
for a well-informed and well thought-out
decision-making process,” says James.
On the other side, she says it is
equally important to know when to step
“Encourage your
employees to be
self-sufficient so
they can have
autonomy over
their decisions.”
— Alicia Grande, CEO and Founder
Grande Naturals, LLC
back. “Allow yourself to ‘see the forest
for the trees,’” she says. “Not taking the
appropriate amount of time needed to
consider crucial facts or the various
angles of any given situation can cause
rash decisions and mistakes in one’s
Mandapa Spa, A Ritz-Carlton Reserve offers ESPA products and treatments.
June 2016
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