Every day, you make many decisions. From choosing meals for lunch, picking a weather-appropriate outfit, and finalizing a corporate deal, you have plenty on your plate at any given time. When we have multiple options when making decisions, indecisiveness can creep in. Of course, no one wants to regret opportunities lost due to wrong judgment and assessment.

So, can you get better at making decisions? Continue reading to find out ways to enhance your decision-making ability.

Avoid Delay

Making simple decisions are easy and fun. You simply add them to your to-do list and then check them off as you go along. However, when critical business situations aren’t as easy to make decisions on, delay can occur. To avoid this, dedicate some time each day to assess the risk, pros, cons, and most importantly, realistic outcomes of your possible decision. This is called a cost-benefit analysis. Make sure you consider the after-effects and consequences of your decision.

Narrow Down Your Options

Knowing that you have too many options or choices will not let you make a final decision easily. Also, more options can lead to regret as you consider the missed possibilities or opportunities. Narrowing down available choices can filter the best options to select from plus elevates FOMO (fear of missing out).

Be Objective and Shelve Your Emotions

Decision making often becomes difficult when you get too involved or invest yourself personally in the outcomes of your possible decision. But remember, you need to solve the problem objectively. The best way to do it is to list down the potential outcomes of the decision you intend to make and put all your emotions aside. You must focus on the facts, even if it requires accepting your shortcomings as you make decisions.

Always Do Research

Of course, making a good decision is not possible without doing research.  It is especially true when you have to make major decisions. You need to put in a significant amount of time and effort to gather all the necessary details to lessen the chances of failure.

Seek Expert Advice

Remember that the problem that you’re trying to solve is unique to you. Many people have probably encountered and solved the same problem. If you know someone who has bumped up against this decision before, reach out for some assistance. If you don’t know someone, research some experts in the domain to see who may be able to help. This helps save you time and allows you to look at it from an approach you may not have considered before.

Final Verdict

All in all, good decisions don’t follow rules. But you can still learn how to make the best decisions given the options available to you to make informed decisions.

 

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About Debi

Debi is a coach to high performers, leaders and business owners wanting to achieve more and grow beyond what they believe is possible. Known for her clarifying insight and a pragmatic approach, Debi brings her clients to the next step by asking the right questions during strategy development and supporting them during strategy implementation. With experience in management, recruitment and employee development for various industries, she has a wide scope of expertise and will confidently guide you towards a successful future in your career.

 

Ready to take your career to the next level? 

Let’s chat. Schedule a complimentary call to discuss innovative solutions to your specific needs.

 

So you’ve been in your current position for quite some time now and you’re considering switching roles in your company – how exciting! Changing roles opens the door for growth, challenge, and opportunity. But first, you must conquer the interview.

Internal interviews are in a class of their own. They aren’t necessarily easier than interviewing with a new company, but they aren’t particularly harder either. They’re simply different.

Read on to learn our top tips for internal interviewing.

 

Don’t Keep Secrets
Before anything else, if you’ve been asked to interview for a position with a different manager, ensure that your current manager is aware of what’s potentially coming. You don’t need to have their permission, per se, but it’s good business practice to give them a heads up so they aren’t caught off guard. Rumors travel fast, so be sure to tell them sooner rather than later. You don’t want them to hear it from someone else. And remember, they don’t need to know every reason why you’re interviewing for a different position (better pay, better work assignments, co-worker relationships), they simply need to know that there is a possibility they might need to look for a new hire.

 

Honesty Only
Secondly, be honest. This should go without saying, but don’t try to pull a fast one on the interviewer. Often in external interviews, candidates carefully curate what is discussed, and make sure to hide any non-ideal information. Your current company is very aware of your experience at the company so far. The good, bad, and ugly. Don’t try to cover up or twist anything in your favor, the interviewer will know. Instead, if asked about a difficult moment, be honest. Share transparently what happened, how you handled it, and what you would do differently next time. Mistakes happen and the interviewer knows that. What matters is how you learned from the experience.

 

Take Advantage of Company Knowledge
While the interviewer being aware of your past can occasionally be stressful, it’s also your biggest advantage. Your company is well-aware of the excellent work that you’ve done, and when answering interview questions, go extra in-depth about those accomplishments. Because the interview is conducted with those who are a part of the company, you are welcome to share specifics on the work that you’ve completed. There’s no need to broadly explain concepts and try to fit a situational background into one sentence.

 

Don’t Forget the Follow Up  
Just because this interview is internal, it doesn’t mean that traditional interviewing steps should go out the window. Like external interviews, it’s important to follow up. Ensure that as soon as the interview is over and you’re back at your desk, you are writing and sending a thank you letter. And because you’re already at the office, feel free to handwrite it. Thank you notes are important and can often be that small edge that gets you the position.

 

____________

About Debi
Debi is a coach to high performers, leaders and business owners wanting to achieve more and grow beyond what they believe is possible. Known for her clarifying insight and a pragmatic approach, Debi brings her clients to the next step by asking the right questions during strategy development and supporting them during strategy implementation. With experience in management, recruitment and employee development for various industries, she has a wide scope of expertise and will confidently guide you towards a successful future in your career.

 

Ready to take your career to the next level? 

Let’s chat. Schedule a complimentary call to discuss innovative solutions to your specific needs.