While leadership is influence, there’s more to leadership than influencing others. One of the major aspects of leadership is decision-making. You have to be willing to make decisions and stick to your choices.
Sometimes, making those decisions can be challenging. There’s so much to consider, the possibilities are endless, and your decision could change the course of your organization, life, or the people you lead.
You have to make wise decisions.
It’s a good thing you’re reading this! We’re going to share about it. In this article, you’ll discover 5 decision-making strategies that will help you make the best decisions you can.
5 Decision-Making Strategies All Leaders Should Use
1. Rational decision making:
Rational decision-making is the strategy that uses analysis, data collection, and evaluation of alternatives. It’s looking at everything happening with objectivity.
This decision-making strategy can be used when there is plenty of data to consider. Collect all of the information and then process it.
You’ll be able to see the ins and outs as you make your decision.
2. Collaborative decision making:
I’m a huge fan of this type of decision-making strategy. With collaborative decision-making, multiple people are involved in the process.
To use this strategy, determine the stakeholders or team members who need to be involved. Then, share the information you’ve gathered, ask them for their input, and work together to find the best course of action.
They always say two heads are better than one. It works that way in decision-making, too!
3. Delegative decision making:
You don’t have to make all of the decisions. There are times when you can delegate the decision-making process to others.
When would you use this strategy? There’s plenty of opportunities and reason to.
- When someone else is closer to the issue at hand
- You don’t have the expertise to make the decision
- There’s an opportunity to let someone else shine in their gifting
Allow others into the decision-making process and give them the reigns to make the choices that need to be made.
4. Ethical decision making:
There are times when it is wise to consider the ethical or moral implications of a decision. Over the years, my wife has made decisions based on her moral and ethical values regarding buying ethically made clothing. She prefers to spend her money where people are treated ethically.
That’s an ethical-based decision.
If you have ethics that tell you something is wrong, use that as a guiding principle in making your decisions. You have to consider your values when making decisions.
5. Crisis decision making:
Four short years ago, leaders were thrust into crisis decision-making mode. COVID-19 ran rampant around the world, governments shuttered businesses, and leaders had to decide how to move forward. Decisions had to be made quickly and under high stress.
COVID-19 isn’t the only time you’ll have to make decisions in a crisis. It could be a cash crunch, a lack of employees, or another major issue.
You’ll have to assess the situation. Then, you’ll consider the impacts of various decisions. Lastly, you’ll have to act without all of the information you’d like.
It’s scary to do this, but it’s something leaders do. You can prepare by role-playing and considering possible futures, but you’ll never have all the information.
Make The Decision
Regardless of which decision-making strategy you need to employ, you will be making decisions regularly. Be prepared to decide and act on a solution.
