To make any decision, everyone must make a decision. Making the wrong decision can cost you financially, physically, and emotionally. It is preferable to make the right decision at the right time and in the right place. However, not everyone is capable of making the right decision at the right time.
Identify the steps in a standard process for solving problems and making decisions to improve your decision making skills. Decision making is a cognitive skill that many people struggle with, regardless of intelligence. Discuss how to handle problems in a disaster situation after you’ve worked thru the decision-making process. Concentrate on the process of solving a problem or making the right decision. It is advised to jot down the steps on paper.
To improve your decision-making abilities, the first step should be to “define the problem.” A person cannot solve a problem unless he understands and defines it clearly. Try to label the issue accurately and realistically. “John can’t drive me to work,” for example, identifies a potential issue. However, depending on other factors, it may or may not be a problem. The preceding definition describes the source of a potential problem.
Rephrasing the problem as “How will I get to work?” shifts the focus of problem solving away from the other information and toward getting to work. If you have other options, the fact that John cannot drive you to work may not be a problem. The fact that John told you he couldn’t drive changes the meaning of the problem. If he told you two days in advance, you won’t have as much of a problem as if he called 30 minutes before work.
A more accurate description of the problem is “I have to be at work in 30 minutes, my usual ride isn’t coming, and the next train or bus won’t get me there on time.” Create alternative solutions for emergency situations. This is referred to as brainstorming. No thought is a bad thought. Each thought could be a potential solution.
Forecast your ability to complete each solution and the consequences. Using the preceding example, you might consider calling a taxi. Factors such as taxi fare and whether the taxi can get you to work on time would need to be considered when evaluating this alternative. Make decisions, select the best solution, and put it into action. Evaluate the outcome; if the outcome was successful, the person learns that this was a great decision; if the problem arose again, the decision was unsuccessful.
