When I worked in the corporate world, I had to make decisions all the time.

But now that I think about it – they felt really ‘safe’ or ‘protected’ decisions, as I had my boss, colleagues & other specialists who were there to help!

But when I took the leap & started my own business 7 years ago – it was just me & I had to make ALL the decisions!

I’ll be honest – it was pretty hard going, as I had gotten into the habit of having that ‘safety’ net around me.

But as an entrepreneur and business owner – it’s really our own decisions that count & need to be made!

On one hand that can feel really exciting & liberating – as you don’t have to go through some of the ‘red-tape’ & processes to get things ‘signed-off’.

On the other hand though – it can lead to some sleepless nights!

Decision making is something that I see lots of entrepreneurs & business owners, who’ve come from the corporate world or a more traditional career route find challenging.

As when we get our P60 & say goodbye to that world, we don’t suddenly leave behind a lot of the ‘Employee’ habits, thinking & actions – which are very different from what is needed when running your own business!

Today, I’d like to share three top tips to help you really make decisions quicker & faster, so that you don’t drive waste time, money & energy!

Plus, it will stop you from going around & around & around & around in circles too (even though you may be thinking that – ‘this is me doing research & information gathering’  – let’s be honest, it’s often more about the fear of having to decide, isn’t it?)

1 – ‘What’s your best thinking right now?’

Yes in the ideal world it would be great to look into the crystal ball & see what’s really going to happen in the future!

But that just isn’t going to happen!  So instead, you get to make things happen the way that YOU want them to be!

One of my mentors, Michelle Clarke, recently shared a really powerful questions that helped me tremendously when I was major some major decisions about the next chapter & key focus for Rapid Transformation.

‘What’s your best thinking right now?’

This really helps, as you just need to focus upon how you think & feel about the situation as it stands.  Then you’re allowing things to evolve from this to getting more of the details & clarity as things move on.

Yes, you may still decide down the line that things will change slightly or drastically from what you’re thinking was at the time – but guess what – you’ll be so much further ahead & making progress, that it will be easier to ‘pivot’ & flex your actions!

What’s the alternative ?!!  You’d still be where you were & trying to figure it ‘all’ out!

 

2:  Know what your own view before asking others!

If you’ve been used to being a part of a larger team in your career, then transitioning to being your own business can also sometimes feel a little isolating.

That’s why I always surround myself with fellow entrepreneurs, who’re going through a similar journey & experience as I am.

It’s also great as you can then have a sounding board based upon some of the things that you’re working on.

But there comes a risk with that too.  Everybody is different & would have their own view or opinion.

(Think about a piece of art – some people may think – it’s a masterpiece, while others would look at it & scratch their head thinking – what is it!?!)

When you’re asking for input into an idea you’re developing or how to work through a sticky situation – it’s always good to know what you think first of all about it all.

It also allows you to then get even more value from what they share, as you can then consider how it fits (or doesn’t) against your own thinking – to then take sifter decisions & action!

Otherwise, you run the risk of just getting even more confused or muddled around the situation.  Remember – too many cooks spoil the broth!

I see this over & over again on Facebook – when a new business owner reaches out to share 5 different versions of their new business logo or website design.  Of course they’re excited & may want some reassurance & inputs into things they may not have considered.  But what often happens is they get so many responses from people who don’t all agree on the same thing.  So instead of clarity – they walk away feeling even more confused & unsure about which one to go for!

 

“Whenever you see a successful business, someone once made a courageous decision.”

Peter F. Drucker

3 – Evaluate everything against your vision & plan!

The easiest way to make a decision on whether you should do something or not – is to evaluate it against what your business goal, vision or promises you’ve set are.

You do have that crystal clear, don’t you?  (If not, then give me a shout!!)

As if you don’t have the DESIGN of your business concrete & clear in your mind – then every idea could look like the ‘best’ or ‘worst’ idea.

Think about if you were building a house – you would have a very detailed plan wouldn’t you?  This then helps you decide, where things will go, what size will the rooms be & what you need to then get for each room.  You wouldn’t then dream of installing the toilet inside the middle of the living room, where the fireplace is meant to be – would you!??

When it comes to making decisions around your business then, when you really consider whether it’s going to help you take things forward to make your vision come alive – you’ll get a much clearer answer – to either jump at the opportunity or avoid it like the plague!

See ….  decision making doesn’t have to be hard!

You just have to decide that you’re going to decide & also make sure that you’re really thinking, feeling & acting like an entrepreneur or business owner, rather than like an ‘employee’!

Be sure to share how these top tips can help you now to make a decision that you may have been putting off, by dropping a few words in the comment box below.

I look forward to sharing even more valuable tips, insights & strategies with you again soon.

Have a fantastic day.