What do you do if your new career requires different decision-making skills?

One thing I found helpful is to understand the 3 levels of decision making within an organization and assess where you are. The 3 levels: 1. Operational level - these decisions affect the day to day activities. 2. Tactical level - these decisions affect what a team will do in the next few months or a year. 3. Strategic level - these decisions affect what an organization will do in the next few years. To level up - these are usual competencies that needs to be developed: Business acumen, strategic thinking, knowledge in the business domain, leadership.

No matter what industry you are employed in or even interested in? I assure you that a situation will arise that creates a problem. Keep your can do attitude and realize it’s just another opportunity for a solution. Identify the cause…collaborate with people in the industry with more knowledge…do your research….together with your fellow employees you can solve the problem. Use the (kiss) method. (Keep it simple stupid). Don’t over analyze. Fix the issue and move forward. Remember tomorrow brings you new opportunities for solutions. Have a good day

The first step in closing your personal skills gap is to take an inventory of your strengths and weaknesses. Identifying the skills you already have and the skills you need or want to improve requires you to set aside your ego and be very honest with yourself. Most people think about the education and knowledge gaps they need to close. But more often than not, they need to develop their soft skills. Especially , as they progress upwards to a senior leadership or more strategic role.

Transitioning to a career with different decision-making skills requires adaptation. Start by understanding the new requirements, seeking guidance or training, and practicing decision-making in the new context.

It is also very useful to understand the decision making styles of those whom you will be working alongside. Having a number of differing syles can help with decision quality, but it is important that people understand this and it is not seen as being slow, or awkward, or instinctive.

After doing a self-inventory, talking to your manager and reviewing your job description and performance reviews, your “skills I want to improve” list is now an actionable map guiding you to overcoming your skills gap. Look at each item and locate the education, training and development resources to use. First, find out if your company has a dedicated organizational development and learning department or an online learning portal for you to explore. Next, investigate area junior colleges, colleges, universities and training institutes. Research other digital approaches to overcoming your skills gap, like webinars, podcasts, apps, professional organizations and other distance-learning opportunities.

Decision-making processes are often culturally related. What applies to Germany can perhaps be completely different in Switzerland and in an international context once again. In addition, it depends on the type of organization, such as a company or a startup. That's why it makes sense to consider these framework conditions before a training.

It may be helpful to remind yourself to take a step back and remove your personal feelings when receiving criticism about your work. It's natural to feel defensive or argumentative when hearing critical input. Once you set aside your emotional reactions, you can see the value of constructive feedback more clearly.