Career Development

How to make difficult decisions at work

admin • 17 Sep 2023

In our professional and personal lives, we constantly have to make important decisions.

At work, this decision making can lead a professional to success or divert them from that path.

Knowing how to make difficult decisions at work is undoubtedly one of the main requirements of a successful professional.

The decision-making process

The context in decision-making must be well evaluated by the professional, who may be indecisive when taking a position on something.

Faced with a difficult choice and the psychological pressure to act, it is normal to experience anxiety and feel confused.

But it is possible to find the necessary calm to decide with confidence, as no extremely important choice arises from a vacuum .

Safe decision-making is one of the most important criteria when evaluating managers when hiring professionals.

But don't confuse deep reflection with a slow decision, which takes as long as possible, as this does not guarantee the best choice.

Therefore, we have prepared some tips that can help you make difficult decisions at work.

How to deal with indecision?

Indecision is something normal in the life of every human being and this should be made clear when we approach this subject.

Everyone has already hesitated in deciding on something important, which can be seen as a defense mechanism.

Experts on the subject point to indecision as a form of self-preservation in the face of the responsibility to decide.

Measuring the weight of the consequences of a decision is one of the important points to be evaluated before deciding something.
Making decisions is not always easy, as it takes time and energy to consider options.
In professional life, indecision begins even before a person enters the job market.

Deciding which area to work in , what to specialize in, leads many young people to be undecided about what to do.

Factors such as family pressure, vocation, job market, desire for other areas, contribute to indecision.

As a professional, whether employee or employer, decision making is very important.

For example, an employee doesn't know whether to stay at the company he's been with for years and have stability or go to another company that wants to hire him and pay double his salary.

Another example is an employer, who must decide whether or not to keep an employee during times of crisis.

In the first example, we saw that the decision must be well considered, as the salary is better in the new company, but stability will have to be achieved again.

In the second example, the employer must consider the prospects for improving the business and evaluate an employee cut.

Deep Reflection

The best way to deal with indecision at work is to strike a balance between possible or likely consequences.

Deep reflection is the sensible way to achieve balance and decide. Start by assessing the scenario from a broad point of view.

See the issue from one angle, then another, always with empathy and measuring the best for your career.

If the decision involves the personal side, then decide something important at work while maintaining balance with life outside of work.

Do not hesitate in making a decision after reflecting deeply, as extending this for a longer period of time does not guarantee that the result will be better or worse.

No one can predict the future and there is no magic formula for making the best decisions. Each case will be different and the complete scenario must be analyzed by the professional.

But know that you can follow the idea of ​​deep reflection and choose the best path.

In the financial market, for example, professionals must make decisions with calculated risks. In other words, all decision-making is considered so that the risk/return relationship is profitable.

If the investment or speculation has been well analyzed, following important criteria and the result is an entry, then there is no reason to remain indecisive.

This applies to anyone who works in any other profession and is undecided about something. Therefore, do a harm/benefit analysis of your decision and go ahead.

So, do this and be in control of the situation, as it is up to you to decide.

The results will be consequences, but know, if you don't decide, life will decide for you.

Tips for making difficult decisions at work

There is no formula for making the best decisions, but there are smart principles that can help you decide something important.

Below, see 7 tips on how to make difficult decisions at work and stop being indecisive.

1. Carry out specific and strategic planning on the subject in question. Remember that no great choice comes out of a vacuum.
2. Be judicious and a true analyst of your future, as it is built based on your every decision.
3. Be very focused on achieving something you want, because along the way you will have to make difficult decisions and even make sacrifices to maintain a goal.
4. Take the time you need to think. Deep reflection on a decision that has a major impact on your professional life is essential to decide.
5. Keep your thoughts organized whenever you are analyzing a scenario. Therefore, consider a possible or probable consequence, evaluating their weight.
6. Be a cameraman and create a movie in your mind, with details, images, texture, sounds, in short, everything that makes you see clearly.
7. Have maximum balance in a decision that involves family and friends. Know how to deal with them if the decision directly or indirectly impacts any of them.

With these tips, you'll find it easier to make difficult decisions at work.