What Are the Five Keys of Decision-Making

Life is filled with choices. Some decisions are easy to make, others not so much. Difficult and complex decisions require more forethought and consideration.

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There are five key elements you should consider in order to make an informed decision, which include information, humility, perspective, culture, and planning. It’s also a good idea to explore leading software for employee engagement as part of your decision-making process, because these software options can transform your workplace.

A Closer Look at Elements of Decision-Making

Before making any decision, clearly define the problem or issue at hand. This will keep you on track as you start weighing your options. Here are the key elements of decision-making:

Gather Information

Collect all the information related to the issue that is necessary to make a decision. The quantity of this information varies depending on the potential impact of your choice. Ask for opinions and advice from people and professionals you trust.

This may give you more than one viable option, but that’s okay! You do not want to be making decisions based on incomplete information.

Practice Humility

Decision-makers need to recognize that they don’t know everything about every topic. It’s better to take in opinions and insights from experts and others on your team with more in-depth knowledge. The team leader can also delegate activities to others based on their skills and experience.

Listen to Varying Perspectives

Decision-making is multilayered–historical, emotional, and cultural influences need to be considered. Ask for input from stakeholders who may view the issue differently than you. Having too many ‘yes’ people around could mean you are not aware of the potential pitfalls of a decision.

Consider the Work Culture

Workplace environments are either conducive to collaboration and open communication–or they aren’t. Decisions made in organizations that value cross-functional collaboration are usually more effective. Top-down decisions forced on an organization risk being off-target or rejected by stakeholders who were not consulted beforehand.

Purposeful Planning

Use data, analysis, and professional experience to create a plan that achieves your goals and can be adapted to changing circumstances.

Make a Decision and Run With It

Making good decisions is a skill that is acquired from making mistakes. It is not a skill anyone is born with, but instead something that develops over time through multiple experiences.

After gathering information, weigh the risks and rewards of each alternative. Consider all possible consequences and outcomes your actions will have on yourself and others. Don’t discount your gut instincts even if they don’t align with other opinions.

Once you make a decision, stick with it. There’s no shame in reevaluating and adjusting your plan as you discover new information or if unexpected circumstances arise–but you will lose credibility if you are indecisive.

All decisions carry some risk. However, if you have enough resources and buy-in from stakeholders, even out-of-the-box ideas can succeed.

Continuous Improvement Drives Better Decisions

Periodically, evaluate your decision and its implications. This will help you learn from your mistakes and hone your decision-making skills.

Keep in mind that the world is filled with naysayers who are quick to point out why an idea won’t work rather than suggest ways an idea could work. That said, don’t immediately dismiss opposing opinions. Instead, consider them along with your ability to execute and the repercussions they will have throughout the organization.

The Bottom Line

Using the five keys to decision-making will help you make the best decision based on the information you have. It’s also important to acknowledge that there is always the potential for problems to pop up unexpectedly.

The five keys of the decision-making process allow you to explore different ways of solving problems until the best solution is identified. When you leverage the power of good employee engagement software–like Centrical’s powerful AI-powered employee experience platform for frontline workers–you can also use it to implement the five Cs of leadership and team accountability in your organization!