Effectiveness Of Making Right Decisions
Decision making has always been a fundamental human activity.
At some stage within the career guidance planning process, decisions are made. The decision in some cases might be to make far reaching changes, or perhaps the decision might be not to change anything. In some cases, little change might ensue, but a decision has still been made, even if the result, having considered the consequences, is not to change.
As a guide it is important to take into account that individual participants vary a great deal in terms of how they make decisions, what factors are important to them, how ready they are to make them and how far participants are prepared to live with uncertain outcomes.
The traditional way within guidance to handle decision making is to see it as a rational, almost linear process. This is illustrated by the Janis and Mann model exemplified in the practical exercise example mentioned below involving balance sheets. The aim is to encourage a rational approach to planning for the future. Typically this involves an evaluation of available options with a look at the pros and cons of each, taking account of the participant’s personal circumstances.
In practice of course the process of making a decision is influenced by all sorts of things. In everyday terms the decision making may in fact be driven by the irrational, the “quick fix” solution and in some cases, prejudicial ideas, perhaps based upon ingrained or outdated ideas.
Gerard Egan describes this as the “shadow side” of decision making. De Bono’s thinking hats exercise (see below) attempts to factor in some of the emotional and other factors linked to decision making.
As individuals we can vary in the style of decision making we use. For some decisions we might take a “logical” approach based upon the linear thinking mentioned above. For some decisions we might make a “no thought” decision, either because the matter is so routine it doesn’t require any thought, or in some occasions just to make a quick fix so we don’t have to think about it any more. Sometimes participants in guidance interviews may talk about their realisation that they should have looked into a decision further before rushing into one course of action. Some individuals employ a hesitant style of decision making, where decisions are delayed as long as possible, whereas others may make a choice based upon an emotional response, what feels right subjectively. Finally some participants might make decisions that can be classified as compliant; that is based upon the perceived expectations of what other people want. A key role in guidance is to identify how a participant has made previous professional development decisions- and whether the approach seems to have worked for them. Might there be other ways of deciding that lead to better decisions?
At some stage within the career guidance planning process, decisions are made. The decision in some cases might be to make far reaching changes, or perhaps the decision might be not to change anything. In some cases, little change might ensue, but a decision has still been made, even if the result, having considered the consequences, is not to change.
As a guide it is important to take into account that individual participants vary a great deal in terms of how they make decisions, what factors are important to them, how ready they are to make them and how far participants are prepared to live with uncertain outcomes.
The traditional way within guidance to handle decision making is to see it as a rational, almost linear process. This is illustrated by the Janis and Mann model exemplified in the practical exercise example mentioned below involving balance sheets. The aim is to encourage a rational approach to planning for the future. Typically this involves an evaluation of available options with a look at the pros and cons of each, taking account of the participant’s personal circumstances.
In practice of course the process of making a decision is influenced by all sorts of things. In everyday terms the decision making may in fact be driven by the irrational, the “quick fix” solution and in some cases, prejudicial ideas, perhaps based upon ingrained or outdated ideas.
Gerard Egan describes this as the “shadow side” of decision making. De Bono’s thinking hats exercise (see below) attempts to factor in some of the emotional and other factors linked to decision making.
As individuals we can vary in the style of decision making we use. For some decisions we might take a “logical” approach based upon the linear thinking mentioned above. For some decisions we might make a “no thought” decision, either because the matter is so routine it doesn’t require any thought, or in some occasions just to make a quick fix so we don’t have to think about it any more. Sometimes participants in guidance interviews may talk about their realisation that they should have looked into a decision further before rushing into one course of action. Some individuals employ a hesitant style of decision making, where decisions are delayed as long as possible, whereas others may make a choice based upon an emotional response, what feels right subjectively. Finally some participants might make decisions that can be classified as compliant; that is based upon the perceived expectations of what other people want. A key role in guidance is to identify how a participant has made previous professional development decisions- and whether the approach seems to have worked for them. Might there be other ways of deciding that lead to better decisions?
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