Women's Life Link Be Well, Be Happy, Be YOU!
In business, there are some decisions that can be earth-shaking in a positive way. On the contrary, there are some that can bury your business alive. Furthermore, you may have only minutes if not seconds to decide in which direction to go. As business owners, we do our best to calculate and predict what will come of our choices. However, it’s not always easy to do this.
Developing yourself as a stable, clear-thinking leader is one thing that will always play to your advantage. But how do you do this when things hit you fast and hard. Well, it’s not always easy, but it’s doable with focus and forward momentum. Here are a few tips to help you make better business decisions.
Increase Your Knowledge
Knowing what, how, and when to do something is reliant on having the appropriate knowledge. And though this primarily comes with life experience, you can take the bull by the horns…so to speak. Take time to study and gather information about personality, communication, leadership, and the specifics of your business.
Also, make a point to study the history of your industry, the culture you live in, and anything else that would help you function in business. The past decisions of great leaders have a place in the world today to either show us what to do or not to do. Let the mistakes of the past be a guiding light.
Use the Right Tools
Information will only take you so far if you don’t have the means to act on it. Say you are given a choice to make a snap investment for your company but lack the software or accounts to make that choice. Though this is only one example, there are many other situations that call for tools, tech, and equipment to follow through with our choices.
For example, if your line of work is in the oil and gas industry, there are tools to help make quick decisions such as the PetroBase Explorer Well Data Software & Analysis Tool. In business, there are days where every second counts when it comes to making decisions that can have a serious impact on your financial future. Having the tools and data on hand is essential to make better business decisions.
Observe and Listen
Watching and listening to other business owners and experts is a great way to learn advanced decision-making skills. Make a point to watch people who are known to make quick decisions and are nearly always correct. What did they do that you wouldn’t? Who did they speak to? What were they likely thinking? Got any questions? Ask! Find out what they know so you can use it yourself.
Know that Failure is an Option
Sometimes we make bad decisions that hurt us and our businesses. That said, making any choice is better than doing nothing because of fear. That choice may sting right now, but you are closer to knowing what will work than you were before.
Accept that things won’t always go your way and learn from all choices (good or bad). By accepting failure as a part of life, we can stop the paralysis that comes with fear. That lack of paralysis gives you a clearer perspective for gently making better choices.
At the end of the day, all decisions have had some impact, whether you can see it yet or not. This is where patience and trust come in. Each choice you make and the experience you gain gives you more wisdom for the next time you face a fork in the road.
