In this article we look at how to overcome bad decisions
There is nobody on earth who can lay claim to never making a bad decision.
People make too many decisions for them not to make bad decisions once in a while. Hopefully, those decisions have little impact.
However, there will be occasions where you make some that have big consequences.
1. Accept it’s going to happen - but don’t focus on it!
It’s going to happen, and there are many reasons why it will happen.
We all try to do everything in our power to avoid these bad decisions:
- Perhaps the needed information was not available at the time the decision was made.
- Someone gave us the wrong data, whether intentionally or not.
- It’s possible we made a rash decision without giving much thought to the consequences of the decision.
- We made the decision based on emotional instead of reasoned parameters.
Whatever the case, the result may turn into an unpleasant and stressful situation.
Whilst we should understand how the decision came about, we shouldn’t focus on our failures. By contrast we should learn from our mistakes.
2. Overcome Bad Decisions - Face up to it
It’s important to take ownership of the decision and not pass on the blame.
It’s possible we will have to deal with someone if they didn’t give us the right information or they deceived us in some manner.
Their action may be the cause of the wrong decision, and we have to choose if we should let that person go as a result.
However, if we were responsible for making the final decision, then the consequences of that decision rests with us.
3. Stay confident and don’t panic
Learn about what happened and why. Then, try to find ways to reduce the impact of your decision.
If it is a business decision that costs your company some money, make sure you let your management know about it right away.
Don’t try to ignore the problem thinking that management may not notice.
They will be upset when a mistake costs the company money.
But, they will be even more upset if you don’t make it known in a timely fashion.
4. Overcome Bad Decisions - Get Help
Don’t be afraid to talk to someone who may be able to help with the situation.
It could be a boss or a mentor. They may be able to shed some insight into the situation.
You never know, you could be blowing the situation out of proportion.
Often they will know how to get you out of it.
But they can only help if you give them timely information about it.
If you need to talk to a manager, try to prepare alternatives on how to reverse the situation or reduce the impact.
If they see that you have taken control of the situation, they may decide to let you run with the alternatives.
In Summary
Many people are afraid to make decisions based on the fear of something.
Often this fear is unjustified or blown out of proportion. Taking note of the suggestions above should alleviate any anxiety and smooth out the decision making process.
But remember...
Other Articles In This Series
Article 1:
Article 2:
