Decision-making | Making decisions when nothing is perfect

Discover the DECIDER compass

• Understand why difficult decisions call for a structured approach rather than a search for perfection
• Recognize common pitfalls, such as deciding too quickly, consulting without a clear purpose, or trying to convince everyone
• Explore the seven steps of the DECIDER Compass
• Use the compass as a flexible guide rather than a rigid procedure
• Choose a real difficult decision to analyze throughout the training

Read the situation before making a decision

• Recognize that different situations call for different decision-making approaches
• Distinguish between clear, complicated, complex, critical, and unclear situations, and adapt your approach accordingly
• Identify the people affected and the values in tension
• Bring unavoidable constraints and foreseeable human impacts into focus
• Identify and assess different types of risks

Avoid the traps and choose how to decide

• Recognize blind spots and biases that can narrow your judgment
• Check whether the criteria you're using are still relevant to the current situation
• Identify false dilemmas that limit your thinking to two overly simple options
• Reframe a dilemma to explore new possibilities
• Choose the decision-making approach that best fits the situation

Make clear decisions and explain them directly

• Make a decision that's imperfect but clear and defensible
• Document the essentials without making the process unnecessarily complicated
• Identify what needs to be monitored after the decision is implemented
• Communicate the decision directly
• Base your decision on clear criteria rather than personal preferences
• Acknowledge the human impact while standing by the decision
• Clarify what's been decided, what can still be adjusted, and how follow-up will work

Review the outcomes and learn from the decision

• Understand that accountability continues after a decision is announced
• Observe both expected and unexpected outcomes
• Identify signs that adjustments may be needed
• Determine who to consult to understand the decision's real-world impact
• Distinguish between what needs to stay consistent and what can be adjusted
• Use follow-up to learn from the decision without constantly reopening it