When it comes to business decisions, I am someone who is able to make snap resolutions and judgments, stand by them, and be happy with my decision.
Working in the diamond and precious stone industry requires me to make quick decisions. Do I want a certain stone? Can I immediately fly somewhere to see a diamond? If I don’t go, will I miss out on a purchase? Like many competitive and fast-paced industries, it requires fast thinking.
‘Thinking on your feet’, ‘gut instinct’, whatever you want to call it, while making quick and incisive decisions is often a natural ability, it’s also something you can develop and hone.
There are some decisions you will need to make in life that will require an answer right here, right now, here’s how to start perfecting that skill…
⌚Don’t put pressure on yourself in the beginning to make fast decisions. Take note of the average time it takes you to make decisions, that’s your starting point and you can work to start reducing that each time.
🥞Start easy when it comes to making faster decisions. The next time you go out for a meal, decide what you want as the wait staff are taking orders. Base the decision on what you already know about yourself and your preferences. This helps you start to make snap decisions in your comfort zone.
🤔Think about who will be affected by your business decisions. Just you? Immediate colleagues and co-workers? The entire company? It’s vital to know your business inside out, so you can know how certain decisions will affect it. You won’t have time to consult everyone, so have a good idea of other people’s general perspectives.
👨🔧 Place yourself at the centre of the decision. Draw on your previous experience and the good and bad outcomes of previous decision-making. Is this decision similar to the one you made before? If so, how did that turn out?
🛑Not every decision needs to be a snap one. Some decisions need to be mulled over, sometimes for minutes, sometimes for days, and as you grow in experience and confidence, you’ll learn the difference.