How to Be More Decisive: 5 Tips for Improving Decisiveness

A decisive person considers multiple options, understands possible outcomes, and makes choices efficiently. Decisiveness is a crucial leadership quality in the workplace and helps you achieve goals. Sometimes the decision-making process can be collaborative—you might consult coworkers on how to move forward on a project at work. Ultimately, learning to make the right decisions is an important soft skill that can improve mental health and help you avoid adverse outcomes.

Being a decisive decision-maker can positively benefit your workplace. Consider the following advantages:

• Efficiency: Overthinking can stall the decision-making process; an indecisive person will waffle between options, dragging out others’ patience. A decisive person can make decisions, even against time constraints, to move projects forward.
• Maturity: The ability to make firm, good decisions inspires confidence. Decisiveness is necessary for leadership positions, so making considered decisions can be advantageous to your career.
• Positivity: Taking time to prioritize strategy over impulsiveness means you are less likely to suffer the consequences of wrong decisions. Making choices after thoughtful consideration can help you avoid bad outcomes.

Learn how to make stronger and quicker decisions with these helpful tips:

1. 1. Practice making smaller decisions more quickly. Spend less time making small decisions—these decisions should be relatively inconsequential, such as what to order for a meal or where to sit in a conference room. Make more snap decisions, see how you feel about your impulsiveness, and learn from your experience before making the same choices next time.
2. 2. Take small steps outside your comfort zone. Work your way up to big decisions by stepping outside your comfort zone in your personal life. Visit a new neighborhood you may not be familiar with or select music different from your usual playlist.
3. 3. Try different decision-making models. Ask coworkers about their decision-making processes, and try various approaches to find what works best for you.
4. 4. Gather feedback. Analyze the outcomes of significant decisions you make. Ask coworkers for feedback so you can know how others interpreted your choice.
5. 5. Be confident. Almost all decisions will come with some kind of repercussion. Make the best decision you can in the allotted time, and be confident in your choice.
6. 6. Narrow down your options. If you are presented with too many choices, quickly narrow them down. You’ll waste too much time if you do not eliminate specific options.

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