Decision Making with Confidence Is Key: Here's Why

Being in charge of decision making is a potentially daunting task. You are suddenly responsible for the outcome and its consequences. What if something goes wrong and you made a bad decision? That is a lot of responsibility. It is important to learn how to make solid, rational decisions and be confident in the choices you make. Here’s why.

What is Ethical Decision Making?

An ethical decision is fair in its responsibility and consideration for others. The process of ethical decision making requires reviewing all available options and eliminating any unethical choices. In turn, what is chosen is the best, most ethical option. 

A choice must be both effective and ethical, especially in professional relationships where these decisions build trust and respect. Ethical decisions require sensitivity to issues and examining all the considerations surrounding a decision. 

What is Data Driven Decision Making?

Data driven decision making is the process of making a decision based solely on available data instead of intuition. Team members gather, analyze, and act upon data according to the company’s best interest. This helps to make decisions that aren’t bias-driven on false assumptions. 

Why Confident, Rational Decision Making Matters

A lot of decision making in the workplace is a combination of both ethical and data driven decision making, with a little intuition mixed in. When making your choices, it is essential to be confident in your ability to make decisions. A workplace functions on hundreds of decisions every day. Companies can’t afford to have their employees second-guessing decisions all the time. Confident and rational decision making is essential because:

• Delegation is easier with confidence. Delegation requires deciding which tasks go to which team members. Build trust by including your team in the decision-making process of who gets what task. 
• Employee satisfaction and engagement increase. A company is affected from the top down. The way you make decisions affects employees. Confident choices improve outcomes and increase employee satisfaction. Employees will be even more satisfied and engaged if you include them in the decision. 
• Outcomes improve with confidence. Making informed decisions instead of ill-thought-out or fear-based decisions improves the outcomes of your choices. 
• Accomplish more. You can make confident choices and accomplish more when you know what your goal is and how to achieve it. 
• Boost self-confidence. Practice makes progress, even with decision-making. Each time you practice, you will learn more and get a little better. It will improve your decision-making skills and your confidence in the ability to make the right choice. 
• Fewer mistakes. Learning to have clarity and prioritize aspects of your decision-making process will help lessen your chances of mistakes. 

Tips for Confident Decision Making

Here are a few steps to help you be more confident in the decisions you make.

• Don’t assume you have all the answers right away. Seek input from other sources before making a final decision. 
• Suspend judgment and remember to check your biases. Good decision-making requires a willingness to see things from a new perspective. 
• Use creative alternatives when the usual options aren’t working. 
• Use your intuition, but remember that facts and data are also important. 
• Take responsibility for the outcome of your decision no matter how it turns out. 
• Evaluate your previous decisions to learn from both your past mistakes and your past victories. Find the patterns that worked for you and hone your decision-making techniques. 

Learn more about Decision Making Skills with ASAP

The American Society of Administrative Professionals has a wide range of resources for admins looking to improve their craft. Learn to create decision-making skills with ASAP. We offer articles, webinars, events, and more to help you stay current in the ever-changing professional world. Become a member today and get free weekly resources.