Can't see the forest for the trees when it comes to decision making

Did you ever have the chance to do what you thought was the right thing to do but didn't because of the possible negative implications upon yourself? Most adults have been in that situation professionally or personally; Have had to make a choice between what they felt was the right action or decision and self preservation on the other hand.

It happened to me at work last week. I was forced to make a choice between the best interests of the business [and myself] and the best interests of a client. I chose the client for various reasons. It was an easy choice and as a manager I had the ability to make it with impunity. Still, a part of me knew that the business would have wanted me to choose differently.

Taking a stand like that is not always as simple as it seems though and making tough decisions can be more difficult than first expected or anticipated.

Many people have faced a moral dilemma of choice and have opted for the safe option, the one that preserves their position rather than what was obviously the right action. I also know people that had to make split-second choices between doing what was right and suffering physical injury or death, or opting for the safe, comfortable choice and self preservation. On the battlefield that happens all the time.

Fortunately most of us never have such decisions to make; I say fortunately because most are simply ill-equipped to make decisions like that, or extremely unwilling. We do need to make tough decisions in life though.

Making tough decisions and choices can leave a person feeling isolated and alone, especially when the decision may lead to some eventual negative...And so many people simply avoid it. Is that really the right choice though? Choosing not to make a decision is a decision in itself after all right? Of course it is.

In my experience the best decisions one can make are ones that are made independently of other people's influences, opinions or prejudice's. That doesn't mean one can't seek information and guidance from others, only that I believe the end-decision should be made independently and by the person faced with the choice.

Why? Well, a decision made solely by the individual can't be blamed on anyone else if the results are less than desired. If someone else was involved then it's an easy thing to go ahead and lay blame on them for the resulting poor result rather than taking ownership as the decision-maker. Of course, I refer to sole-decision-maker situations here. A couple will make decisions jointly of course, but still need to make them independently of other people's influences, opinions or prejudice's.

Making tough decisions independently of other people influence means the decision-maker is responsible for the success or failure of the decision and there's no room for blame; Only responsibility and ownership. Blame is negative, un-productive and ignorant.

Decision-making takes a certain commitment; During the process of decision-making and also in the after-decision period. Taking ownership of the choices and their resulting effects, good or bad, is really the only way to move forward.

We are faced with the need to make decisions in our lives almost daily, some of which could be tough ones but there's one decision that should be easy to take...And that's the decision to come to a decision in the first place.

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