What are the best ways to develop your decision-making skills in a new job?

1 Assess your strengths and weaknesses

The first step to develop your decision-making skills is to know where you stand. What are your strengths and weaknesses as a decision-maker? How do you approach different types of decisions, such as simple, complex, or ethical? How do you deal with uncertainty, risk, or ambiguity? How do you balance intuition and logic, speed and accuracy, or individual and collective interests? By assessing your strengths and weaknesses, you can identify the areas where you need to improve and the ones where you can leverage your existing skills.

2 Learn from others

The second step to develop your decision-making skills is to learn from others. You can benefit from the experience, knowledge, and feedback of your boss, colleagues, mentors, or coaches. Observe how they make decisions in different situations, what criteria they use, what outcomes they achieve, and what challenges they face. Ask them questions, seek their advice, and listen to their suggestions. You can also learn from other sources, such as books, podcasts, courses, or articles, that offer insights, tips, or frameworks for effective decision-making.

3 Practice and experiment

The third step to develop your decision-making skills is to practice and experiment. You can improve your skills by making decisions in real or simulated scenarios, and by reflecting on the results and consequences. You can also experiment with different methods, tools, or techniques to enhance your decision-making process, such as SWOT analysis, decision trees, pros and cons lists, or scenarios planning. By practicing and experimenting, you can discover what works best for you, and what you need to adjust or improve.

5 Manage stress and emotions

The fifth step to develop your decision-making skills is to manage stress and emotions. You may face pressure, anxiety, or uncertainty when making decisions in a new job, especially if they have significant consequences or involve conflicting interests. You may also experience emotions, such as fear, anger, or excitement, that can affect your judgment, motivation, or confidence. By managing stress and emotions, you can avoid decision fatigue, paralysis, or bias, and make more rational, balanced, and effective decisions.

6 Celebrate and learn

The sixth step to develop your decision-making skills is to celebrate and learn. You can acknowledge and appreciate your achievements, efforts, and progress as a decision-maker, and reward yourself for making good decisions. You can also learn from your mistakes, failures, or challenges, and use them as opportunities to grow, improve, and adapt. By celebrating and learning, you can boost your self-esteem, resilience, and motivation as a decision-maker, and prepare yourself for future decisions.