How to Make an Effective Decision

Do not leave your most important decisions to chance.

The decisions you make, and refuse to make, have a great deal of influence on your life. William James, a philosopher, said, "When you have to make a choice and don't make it, that is in itself a choice." Making decisions is a skill you can learn from studying other people and reading books, but you can only master it by learning from your previous decisions.

Instructions

1. Analyze the decision that needs to be made. If there is a problem you need to solve, make sure you understand the exact nature of the problem. It may help to write down the problem, and then write all the ramifications of that problem below it.

2. Look for a solution that addresses as many aspects of the problem as possible. Write each possible solution and then list each issue that it addresses. This kind of brainstorming may also help you come up with other ideas.

3. Choose the option that covers either the most issues, or the most important issues, whichever you feel is necessary.

References

• "Business News Daily"; How to Make Effective Business Decisions; Michael Keller; July 2010
• Quote Garden: Quotations about Decisions