What do you do if you're seeking guidance in the realm of decision-making?

???Understand organizational governance policies and structures. Assess if the current structures and policies facilitate the appropriate portfolio governance mechanisms for the selection of projects that ensure achievement of the organization’s goals and delivery of business value ???Understand mission, goals, and objectives.Understand the strategic goals and objectives and how portfolio strategic alignment occurs. Assess the portfolio alignment process and determine if the current process ensures the appropriate project selection that is aligned with strategic goals and program and delivery of business benefits ???Determine decision making and authorities. Understand how investment decisions are made and who is making these decisions

To zero in on what’s truly critical, we take a hard-nosed look at the situation—separate the wheat from the chaff. We focus on real, substantive needs, stripping away the fluff. This isn’t about being nice; it’s about being necessary.

If you're seeking guidance in decision-making, start by clearly defining your goals and the specific decisions you need to make. Gather relevant information and consider seeking input from trusted mentors, colleagues, or experts in the field to gain diverse perspectives. Utilize decision-making frameworks, such as pros and cons lists or SWOT analysis, to evaluate your options systematically. Additionally, reflecting on past decisions and their outcomes can provide valuable insights. Finally, don’t hesitate to take a step back and give yourself time to consider the implications of each choice before committing to a course of action.

I often find that the biggest service is to help the decider get clear on what their decision actually is (about). Too often they worry about things that are not actually theirs to decide (yet), and conversely, they sometimes take things as given and do not acknowledge the opportunity for a decision.

Find a mentor who has been in role (or a similar one) so they can truly empathize and provide authentic feedback and share experiences, both good and bad, that can apply toward advancement. Beyond that, consider approaching people above you whose skills, expertise, and demeanor align with goals. If you're looking to explore new opportunities, an outsider's perspective can be invaluable. Seek out mentors through professional organizations, networking events, or online platforms. Look for individuals who have experience in field or industry and who have achieved the level of success aspire to. When approaching potential mentors, be clear about goals and what hope to gain from the relationship. Remember that mentoring is a two-way street.

Mentorship is all about leverage—finding those who’ve played the game and won. It’s about getting advice that’s been through the fire, that’s proven, that’s not just talk. We look for people who are more than talkers—they’re doers.

Many senior professionals want to guide you. But they don't know you need assistance. So ask them. It may be a difficult initial conversation. But it could have lasting rewards.

Consider reframing the idea of finding mentors as cultivating a network of peers and advisors. While mentors can offer valuable guidance, don't limit yourself to seeking guidance from a single individual. Instead, actively seek out diverse perspectives and insights from a network of peers, colleagues, industry experts, and mentors. Engage in communities, forums, and networking events where you can connect with individuals who have different experiences and expertise.

You're 9 times more likely to succeed with a tried and tested good mentor. Mentors are priceless. If you're fortunate to have one dear to you, please stick real close. You've been saved from a lifetime of unnecessary trouble.

Real options thinking is a decision-making approach that can be used to deal with uncertainty and risk. It involves keeping as many viable options open for as long as possible, actively gathering information to maximize understanding of each option, and committing only when necessary or when there is a good reason to do so. This approach can help decision makers deal with uncertainty and risk by allowing them to wait and see what happens, and to go with the option that best deals with risk when it arises. ?Identify the available options for each decision. ?Identify the last point at which a decision can be made, i.e., the conditions to be met in order to make a commitment (decision time means the deadline for option implementation).

Analyzing options isn’t about getting lost in the weeds; it’s about strategy, about seeing the whole chessboard. It’s about tough choices and being smart—having the guts to go with the high-reward plays when they count.

A typical best-practice method of assessing different options is the one employed by strategy consultants; hypothesis development. In this method, you can hypothesise that one option is the best among the set And begin validating arguments with data to uphold such a hypothesis. This can result in a much more focused and efficient analysis while also building upon your intuition in selecting what you feel is the most likely best option in the beginning.

Trusting your instincts be a valuable tool in decision-making, but it's important to balance that with careful analysis and consideration of all available information. One way to do this is to use a structured decision-making process that includes gathering and analyzing data, identifying options, evaluating risks and benefits and considering potential consequences of each option. Additionally,seeking input and guidance from trusted advisors and stakeholders can help provide additional perspectives and insights to inform your decision-making.It's also important to aware of any biases or assumptions that may influencing instincts and to actively work to mitigate those biases through self-reflection and seeking out diverse perspectives.

Sometimes, the playbook goes out the window, and you have to go with your gut. This is about intuition honed by experience, about those instincts that tell you when to hold firm and when to strike hard and fast.

Consider reframing the notion of trusting instincts as balancing intuition with evidence-based decision-making. Instead of relying solely on gut feelings, recognize that intuition can be a valuable input in decision-making but should be complemented by thorough analysis and evidence. Trusting your instincts doesn't mean disregarding rational thinking; rather, it means integrating intuitive insights with empirical data and logical reasoning. Take the time to gather relevant information, analyze the facts, and consider different perspectives before making a decision. Then, listen to your intuition and pay attention to any inner nudges or feelings that arise.

Intuition is powerful as it is the accumulation of experience and pattern recognition. However, in a recent interview, even Magnus Carlson, who is arguably the greatest chess player, admitted that opponents who do deep analysis compared to his method of relying on intuition alone can have a competitive edge over him. This alludes to the fact that one should not rely on intuition alone, but put in the hard yards of rigorous analysis proportionate to the importance of the decision being made .

At the end of the day, it’s not just about ideas; it’s about making things happen. It’s about the boldness to act, the resolve to follow through, the relentless drive to turn vision into reality. It’s about not just saying, but doing.

?Determine what kind of guidance need and what goals are. ?Determine who can provide with the guidance you need, such as mentors, colleagues, or subject matter experts. ?Reach out to identified stakeholders and ask for their input and advice. ?Collect and analyze relevant information to inform decision-making process. ?Utilize decision-making frameworks such as real options thinking, valuation techniques, and continuity and contingency plans to help analyze options. ?Evaluate the risks and benefits of option and consider the potential consequences of each decision. ?Make a decision and take action based on analysis and guidance ?Monitor the results of decision and evaluate its effectiveness, making adjustments as necessary.

Reflection is not only important to enhance wants decision-making for future circumstances, but it can also help course correct the decision which has already been made. By monitoring, the result or indicative impact of the decision, one has the opportunity to react to evolving circumstances either by retracting decisions to choose a potentially better path or stay the course if the outcome is seen to be beneficial.

Effective mentorship is a critical factor. It provides adequate visibility and support, and empowers to reach full potential by mirroring situations and helps address and improve.

It's key to understand that decision quality is not (only) defined by the outcome of the decision. The outcome is at least in part determined by factors outside of the decision maker's control. So what matters is that the process by which one arrived at a decision is sound. You can have a good decision with a bad outcome just as much as a bad decision with a good outcome.

Using decision-making frameworks can bring structure to the process. Tools like SWOT Analysis, Cost-Benefit Analysis, or decision trees can help weigh options and predict potential outcomes. Combining these methods with your intuition is equally important. Intuition, shaped by experience, can provide a deeper, almost instinctive understanding of what might work best. Finally, reflect on the outcome of your decisions. Whether they succeed or fall short, every decision is an opportunity to learn. Understanding what worked and what didn’t will strengthen your ability to navigate future challenges with confidence. Decision-making is a continuous journey, one that becomes more refined with practice and self-awareness.

For decisions that involve complexity, uncertainty, and/or risk, a formal Decision-Making Framework should be used to avoid the decision traps that we are susceptible to due to heuristics (aka mental shortcuts) used by our brains. Not only will this discipline help us avoid critical mistakes, but it can also help us organize the information so that our decision-making process is efficient and we can avoid "analysis paralysis."