Future Decisions/Choices

How to make effective decisions?

Written by Barbara Mackessy

Steps of Decision Making • 1. Define or Identify the Problem/Want/Need

• 2. Gather Information about the problem, want or need (think about it) Identify ways to deal with the problem

• 3. Evaluate all of the Information (pros & cons) (the good and the bad)

• 4. Select Best Choice for you (select a solution) Think about the possible results of each action

• 5. Take Action – Do it - Make a responsible decision

• 6. Review Your Choice (would you do something different next time?) make changes if needed

Think about possible results

• Is it safe to me and others?

• Is it legal?

• Does it show respect for self and others?

• Does it follow parent’s guidelines?

• Would my parents and teachers approve?

• Would it help me to have a better future?

How will my decisions change my…

• Personal life/social life

• Leisure activities

• Community atmosphere

• Learning attitude

• Family

• Work roles

• Goals

• Finances

Leadership & Decisions

• Good decision making is an essential skill for career, financial and personal success.

• If you can learn to make timely and well-considered decisions, then you can often lead yourself into spectacular and well-deserved successes.

• However, if you make poor decisions, you risk failure.

Decision Making • Do not make decisions that are not yours to

make. • When making a decision you are simply

choosing from among alternatives. You are not making a choice between right and wrong.

• Avoid snap decisions. Move fast on the reversible ones and slowly on the non-reversible.

• Do your decision making on paper. Make notes and keep your ideas visible so you can consider all the relevant information in making this decision.

Decisions

• Remember that not making a decision is a decision not to take action.

• Trust yourself to make a decision and then to be able to accept and handle the consequences of that decision appropriately.

• Before implementing what appears to be the best choice, assess the risk by asking "What can I think of that might go wrong with this alternative ?"

Decisions • Write down the pros and cons. It clarifies your

thinking and makes for a better decision.

• Make decisions as you go along. Do not let them accumulate. A backlog of many little decisions could be harder to deal with than one big and complex decision.

• Consider those affected by your decision. Whenever feasible, get them involved to increase their commitment.

• Recognize that you cannot know with 100% certainty that your decision is correct because the actions to implement it are to take place in the future. So make it and don't worry about it.

Think about it!

• You've probably been taught not to stereotype people based on race, religion or sex.

• But when you make a career or business decision, do you still make decisions based on bias and stereotypes?

• Remember you can be anything you want to be with the right education and training.

Decisions are made daily!

• Do you use responsible decision making steps?

• Do you think of the consequences before making your decisions?

• How can you improve your decision making strategies?

Now, what decisions have you had to make this year? • Get in a fight or not?

• Yell at someone or not? • Hit someone or not? • Fail my class or not? • Do my homework or not? • Get a demerit or not? • Run in the hall or not? • Be on time to class or not? • Get water or not? • Lie to a teacher or not? • Go hunting and kill an animal or not? • Roll my eyes at people or not? • Cuss or not? • Sleep in class or not? • Be respectful or not? • Make straight A’s or not? • Do my chores or not? • Do my class work or not? • Study for my test or not? • Have a good attitude or not? • Be kind to others or not? • Be careful or not? • Listening and following instructions or not? • Working harder or not? • Turning in all of my work or not?

• Spend or save money • Wear a jacket or not? • What to eat? • When to eat? • Bring my lunch or buy a lunch? • How to dress? • What to wear? • When to get up? • What time to go to bed at night? • To talk in class or not? • To bring all supplies to class or not? • To run away or not? • To follow the rules or not? • Where to sit? • What to watch on TV? • Doing what I’m told or not? • Cooking supper to surprise mom or not? • To behave in school or not? • To pay attention or not? • To participate in activities or not? • To do my project or not? • Have appropriate attitude or not? • Read 25 books or not? • Take responsibility for my pets or not? • Use my agenda every day or not?

Those decisions were really your goals for the year.

• Read 25 books or not to read 25 books

• I will read 25 books this year at home to make sure that I meet the reading standard for my grade level.

Decision making linked to goals • Now think about yourself, what decision or goals

have you set for yourself for the next few weeks?

• Make a list of two goals that you plan to do within the next month.

• Now use the steps of decision making to make sure that you are making the correct decision in both of those goals.

• Show your work for each step of the decision making in relations to both goals.

• This will be your assessment for your grade today.