What do you do if your decision-making skills are hindering your career growth?

If you're finding that your decision-making skills are becoming a roadblock in your educational leadership career, it's crucial to take a step back and reassess. Good decision-making is not just about choosing the right path but also about understanding the process that leads to that choice. It involves critical thinking, weighing pros and cons, and considering the impact on stakeholders. If you're consistently facing setbacks or dissatisfaction from your team, it might be time to refine your approach to decision-making to ensure it aligns with your career aspirations.

1 Reflect Deeply

To begin addressing decision-making challenges, start with introspection. Reflect on past decisions that didn't yield the desired outcomes. Consider the context in which those decisions were made, your thought process, and the feedback received. This self-assessment can reveal patterns in your decision-making that may be contributing to career stagnation. Understanding your own biases and triggers is essential for growth, as is recognizing when to seek diverse perspectives to enrich your decision-making process.

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Mónica Alejandra L.

Administradora
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Si te percatas de que tu habilidad de toma de decisiones quizá no ha sido la mejor últimamente es momento de reflexionar y analizar las circunstancias y los resultados obtenidos para determinar de qué manera puedes mejorar. Te puede ayudar mucho buscar consejo y crítica constructiva con los líderes de tu organización, quienes te pueden abrir el panorama desde otros puntos de vista que no habías contemplado. Nunca dejes de aprender, continuamente sigue estudiando y preparándote para crecer personal y profesionalmente, esto te va a abrir muchas puertas y te va a dar la oportunidad de tomar mejores decisiones. Finalmente cree en ti, a veces nos topamos con obstáculos, no por eso vamos a darnos por vencidos, es verlo como una nueva oportunidad.

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Avila Ah Leong

Section Head Legal, SIFA
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Here's the thing, we are only human and humans do have limitations. Recognize that there will be times your usual way of doing things will not always work and acknowledge that life in general is always about growth through learning not just through the various materials before us but through interacting and sharing with our colleagues/friends. What helped me the most through the thickest of times was (& still is) praying and reading the Bible (try it you won't be disappointed!)

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2 Seek Feedback

Engaging with mentors, peers, or a professional coach can provide valuable insights into your decision-making style. Ask for honest feedback on how your decisions are perceived and the effects they have on your team and organization. This external perspective can highlight blind spots and areas for improvement. Be open to constructive criticism and use it as a foundation to develop a more collaborative and informed approach to making decisions.

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Jess Haessly

Yoga | Mindfulness | Empowered Mindset | Performance | Speaker | Disruptor | Mental Health Advocate | Critical Thinking | Play | Absurdist
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Never underestimate the power of another perspective. When we're struggling with decision-making, it can be incredibly valuable to reach out to a trusted colleague, mentor, or friend to gain insight, bounce ideas, and receive support. Once you have your light bulb moment, remember to extend your gratitude to those who offered support to you, and pay it forward.

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3 Learn Continuously

Educational leadership demands continuous learning, and this extends to decision-making skills. Explore resources such as workshops, seminars, or courses focused on enhancing leadership and decision-making abilities. By committing to lifelong learning, you demonstrate a willingness to evolve and adapt your skills, which is crucial for overcoming barriers to career advancement.

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Shraddha Sheth

Head of Technology & Data Analytics | Innovating & Delivering Insights @ Hire4Higher Consulting & Legalwiz.in
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Learning new things keeps our brain flexible and open to different ideas and ways of thinking. This broader knowledge base allows us to make more informed decisions. We can see problems from different angles and come up with more creative solutions. Plus, the more we learn, the better we get at thinking things through and making smart choices.

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4 Adapt Strategies

Once you've gained insights from reflection, feedback, and learning, it's time to adapt your decision-making strategies. Implement new techniques such as the 'pros and cons' list, 'cost-benefit analysis', or 'decision trees' to structure your thought process. Experiment with these methods to find what works best for you and your organization. Adapting your approach can lead to more confident and effective decisions, fostering trust among your colleagues.

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5 Empower Others

Empowering others to participate in the decision-making process can enhance your leadership and alleviate the pressure of solo decision-making. Foster an environment where team members feel comfortable sharing their ideas and opinions. By valuing collaborative decision-making, you not only improve the quality of decisions but also encourage a sense of ownership and accountability within your team, which can be instrumental in driving career growth.

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6 Reflect on Outcomes

Finally, after implementing new decision-making strategies, take time to reflect on the outcomes. Assess whether the changes you've made are yielding better results. Are your decisions now more aligned with your career goals? Are they being met with more favorable responses from your team? This ongoing evaluation is key to ensuring that your decision-making skills support rather than hinder your career progression in educational leadership.

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7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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What do you do if your decision-making skills are hindering your career growth?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Reflect Deeply

2 Seek Feedback

3 Learn Continuously

4 Adapt Strategies

5 Empower Others

6 Reflect on Outcomes

7 Here’s what else to consider

Educational Leadership

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What do you do if your decision-making skills are hindering your career growth?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Reflect Deeply

2 Seek Feedback

3 Learn Continuously

4 Adapt Strategies

5 Empower Others

6 Reflect on Outcomes

7 Here’s what else to consider

Educational Leadership

Rate this article

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