The Value of Effective Decision Making

Throughout my life I made some effective decisions and some non-effective decisions down the way. I recall making non-effective decisions when my department manager left for vacation. I was appointed my manager's duties for the week. Which entitled setting schedules, timing breaks, coaching, and more. The only problem was that I was so happy to take a break from my usual position. I let my newly appointed responsibilities slip away from me. I didn’t set team goals for the day nor did I coach or assist my team effectively. I had to remember that I was appointed to take over for my manager because I was responsible, displayed great leadership skills, and utilize proper work ethics. The "Value of Effective Decision Making" is very important, no matter what profession.

I recently visited one of my favorites sites that promotes "essential skills for an excellent career", MindTool.com. To those who are familiar with my blog, you'll pick up a since that I'm fond of MindTool.com. It is such an awesome website! MindTool.com is filled with articles, surveys, quizzes, books, exercises that promotes essential skills for an excellent career. Now, in regards to effective decision making. I wanted to get a better understanding of my decision making process, to improve, and prevent non-effective decision habits from occurring ever again whenever I'm tackling or appointed a new task. In order to get a better understanding on my decision making skills I chose to take the Mind Tool's - How Good Is Your Decision - Making? quiz.

One thing I really like about MindTool.com and the quizzes posted on the site, is that once you complete the quiz the site provides you with sources to improve your inquiring skill. After taking the 18 question quiz I received a score of 59 out of 90. Here's my score interpretation:

43-66: Your decision-making process is OK. You have a good understanding of the basics, but now you need to improve your process and be more proactive. Concentrate on finding lots of options and discovering as many risks and consequences as you can. The better your analysis, the better your decision will be in the long term. Focus specifically on the areas where you lost points, and develop a system that will work for you across a wide variety of situations. (MindTool.com)

Knowing the "Value of Effective Decision Making" would have helped me make effective decisions while I was covering for my manager. From coaching my team effectively, to providing them with their goals for the day. Making effective decisions is vital in every profession and will only work if exercised. When my manager came back from his vacation, he walked in to a stress free environment and thanked me for "holding down the fort", as he would call it. To me it was not just about making effective decisions for my manager, job, or team. It was more so about making effective decisions for myself, to utilize throughout my career. Sometimes our egos or ease of comfort can be our biggest demise in our careers. Remember each decision presents its own challenges, and we all have different ways of approaching problems; just make sure you approach the problem effectively.

I would recommend to all career professionals, go take the Mind Tool's - How Good Is Your Decision - Making? quiz. It will not only provide insight on making effective decisions in work or team environments, but it will also strengthen one's own decision making process.