Improve Decisions by Structuring the Process
This is a guest post.
Life requires that we make decisions, often and continuously. Some decisions are small with limited impact, like “where should I park?”; but some are very large and potentially life changing, like “should I go back to college?” We make decisions in our personal lives, within our families, and related to our employment to name just three of the many channels. There came a time in my life that I realized that a structured process for decision making would improve the outcomes, potentially worth much for the larger decisions. Here are the steps in that process:
1.
Recognize you have a decision to make and how important it is to you. Allocate appropriate attention to it based on its importance. Select the right day for making the decision.
2.
Resolve to keep all options and NOT make the decision or over focus on just one option until it is time to narrow the choices.
3.
Determine what information, skill, viewpoint or other input you could use that might improve the probability of getting it right. Move out right away on accessing that help. Keep notes.
4.
Use your head. By this I mean that you should be careful to analyze the objective data in the early going. Your feelings in the matter are part of the fact set and can be cranked in as such, but the strong tendency is to allow feelings such as fear, love, excitement, anger, fantasy, etc. to drive the process and determine the outcome you WANT which you then use your head to JUSTIFY. At this stage resist letting feelings take over…keep the process in your head.
5.
Are you keeping notes? Do it. It is easy to revisit the issues, track the process and order your thinking. Reorder the notes from time to time as the imperative considerations begin to emerge.
6.
As the time for the decision approaches, narrow the choices to the 2 or 3 best alternatives and focus on them. Be disciplined and focus only on these best alternatives.
7.
When the time comes DECIDE, using the facts you assembled and analyzed and now in full cognizance of your feelings about the matter. Applying the heart driven judgment at the end is a powerful part of the process and takes human intuition fully into account, but the process does not get derailed from reality if you limit this step to the end.
8.
Implement your decision with zeal and conviction. It is the best call you could have made. Have confidence in it.
A tremendous advantage of being careful about this process for the big calls in life is the freedom of knowing you have done all you could do. You were careful, methodical and diligent giving the matter the importance it deserved. You made the best call that was possible at that time, knowing all that was knowable. So, do not look back, even if subsequent events temp you to think you went the wrong way. The only reason to look back is to review the process you used so you can improve it the next time.
Based on my experience, this process will offer you freedom and confidence.
Written by Lamar C. Smith
Lamar C. Smith is Chairman of the Board of Directors of H.O.P.E Farms Inc., a non-profit organization for high-risk boys, and a director of Torchmark, Inc., a leading provider of life and health insurance products and annuities. Smith is a former CEO of First Command Financial Services, a retail brokerage firm with more than 300,000 clients. He was an Air Force Special Operations Fighter pilot with over 114 combat missions and has earned decorations including Silver Stars, six Distinguished Flying Crosses and 11 Air Medals, which are awarded for gallantry and heroism. A board member of Search Ministries, Inc., he resides in Fort Worth, Texas with his family.
Lamar brings extensive personal, professional, and life experience to lessons for Balanced Living told through the exciting story in “There’s More to Life Than the Corner Office.”
To learn more please visit: www.ImprovingYourBalance.com