As a new manager, it can be tempting to make a few decisions right off the bat to spotlight your new responsibilities. But avoid this approach if possible. While decision-making is critical to your success on a management level, hopefully, you’ll have the advantage of not having to act ASAP on anything too major. This way, you can focus on observing, listening, and learning – as you make effective decision-making an integral aspect of your continuous professional improvement.
So, that’s Tip One for new managers when it comes to decision making. Here are some others to keep in your CI wheelhouse:
Learn from your experience.
This is a big part of what got you this far, so keep putting your past experiences to work for you as you make effective management decisions. Consider important choices you’ve made in the past. Pay attention to those that failed, as well as those that worked. Everyone is a learning opportunity.
Look at the data – all of it.
Make sure you have all the relevant information you need. It’s natural to focus only on data that supports your own theory or assumption while suppressing anything that contradicts it. Be objective. Make sure you’re considering the full picture of evidence before coming to a final conclusion.
Embrace the unknown – and put it to work for you.
Everyone has doubts. Part of being a good manager is acknowledging that you’re no exception. Think about how your decision could play out while considering any aspects or details that might thwart it. Test it against different scenarios and alternate choices. If it still feels solid after this careful deliberation, then give it the green light.
Engage in healthy debate.
Encourage productive team debate as you arrive at a decision. Challenge different employees to create a case for every option presented. Then, track these arguments to understand every choice from different perspectives fully. This helps not only you but also your team members to grow and improve.
Bring in outsiders.
Outsiders can be a big help because they bring a fresh new perspective to the table. Plus, they can truly be objective, as relationships with other team members aren’t a factor. Groupthink can be detrimental to timely decision making.
Don’t put it off too long.
Again, don’t rush into a decision, but at the same time, it will hurt your credibility and your team’s trust in you if you put things off too long. So once you’ve thoroughly evaluated all viable options, it’s your job to finalize your choice and move forward. Just make sure you have a process in place to track progress and make adjustments as needed.
Need more tips to grow in your job – or are you ready to take your career to the next level and land that desired management position? Either way, consider working with the career development experts at PrideStaff Modesto. In fields including administration, warehousing, manufacturing, skilled labor, finance, and accounting, we’ve been a talent market leader in the Central Valley for more than three decades. Contact us today to learn more.
