Decision making is part and parcel of being an entrepreneur. But, many entrepreneurs make the mistake of making decisions without thinking things through. Entrepreneurs often act too quickly because they’re are occupied by massive responsibilities and have huge volumes of work to deal with.
Entrepreneurs don’t make quick decisions because they care less about a certain aspect of the business or, because they are poor decision makers. Quick decisions are made because entrepreneurs have so much on their plate, that making a decision as fast as possible, in theory, lightens the responsibilities resting on their shoulders. Sadly, this is never really the case.
Given the choice, I and many other entrepreneurs, would love to spend more time planning and making sure that the decisions we make will be the correct solution for the problem we are faced with. Unfortunately, time is not on our side and it simply doesn’t allow for this.
My solution? Split my problem solving into two parts. This is how I’ve made better, faster and more informed decisions that have led to the successful growth of Digitlab:
Part One: Gather first, decide after
This is your research phase. Before going any meetings about decision-making or problem-solving, do some research. Take some time to gather as much info on your problem, or similar problems, as possible. Research online, read articles and collect information.
Part Two: Simmer and sink in
Let this new information ‘simmer’ over time before you go to a meeting. Simmering allows you to think things through thoroughly. It removes the pressure of resolving your problem during a set time like meetings or brainstorms.
The important thing about this decision-making process, is that your research and simmering doesn’t happen during a designated meeting time, but rather before. Gathering information allows you to find a suitable solution or adapt a solution to a similar problem to suit your business.
Letting the new information you’ve gathered simmer allows you to take in all the possible outcomes and consider more than one solution. Ultimately, it allows you to make an informed decision based on research and similar situations.
The research and simmer method may sound like extra work and prep before a meeting, but it helps remove some of the stress that comes with having to make big decisions.
