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Business Leadership Strategies: Deciding How to Decide

Guest post by: Sylvia Lafair

Article Overview: Welcome to the world of now! Everyone complains that there are just too many choices to be made daily, hourly, every minute. The world is spinning faster than ever (or at least it seems that way) and what is true is that we have more choices than ever before.

Business Leadership Strategies: Deciding How to Decide

Do I buy the red ones, yellow ones, maroon ones or all of them? How many is a right purchase? Should I go to the meeting out of town next week? How do I decide which admin to hire? Which leadership development program do I put my money on?

Why am I in such a mess deciding how to decide?

Welcome to the world of now! Everyone complains that there are just too many choices to be made daily, hourly, every minute. The world is spinning faster than ever (or at least it seems that way) and what is true is that we have more choices than ever before.

Just think about ice cream, or gelato; sugar free, fat free, even milk free. It could take a week just to decide what to decide about what flavor you want.

When it comes to business decisions what about the "Blink then think" factor? Here is where it gets hairy. In our Total Leadership Connections Program we take you through a six month emersion so you can get a better handle on why you make the decisions you do and how to make ones that are better, and even best without anguishing all the time.

Here is one exercise that helps: Find a quiet place and close the door. You need about 10 minutes of real personal alone time to check your "internal decision meter".

You see the "blink" factor that Malcolm Gladwell discusses in his book by that name is one aspect of deciding. The other has to do with decisions that were made when you were a kid and sit at a subconscious place dictating to you what to do. Not the best idea to follow that deep seated place that is often the repository of old fears and disappointments.

Okay, you are willing to go to a quiet place for 10 minutes. Now, after you read the rest of this it will be time to close your eyes; no, not for a nap, for remembering. You see today's decisions rest on yesterday's hopes, fears, successes, and failures.

YOUR DECISIONS ARE DIRECTLY RELATED TO HOW YOU REMEMBER DECISIONS WERE MADE IN YOUR FAMILY!!!!!!!!!!

Now, close your eyes and go back to an early memory of when a decision was made that had a negative effect at home. Then open your eyes and write down what you remember.

Next, same thing only about a positive experience when a decision had a positive impact; then open your eyes and write it down.

Now go for the gold. Once more, close your eyes and think about the decision you have to make NOW. open your eyes and write down what comes to you. Notice how you feel about today's decision. I promise you if the FEELING you have in your GUT is comfortable it is the right decision to make. If you feel queasy and tight, go back to start and rethink what you are about to do.

This is but one exercise in our program and it would work best if you read "Don't Bring It to Work" as a foundation for excellent decision making. What you don't want to do is bring the poor decisions from the past into today. Here's to healthy decisions in all areas of your life!

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Article Tags: business leadership, choices, decision making, leadership strategies



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