Moving with or against the tide...

Don’t wait for the perfect moment, take the moment and make it perfect… this hits differently every time, this is literally making a decision to make it all work. It is interesting how many times we are looking for the perfect moment to do just about everything. Be it with work, family, society, there is never the perfect moment, you need to pick up your boat or even your yacht and sail through the tides.

From my last article, I mentioned stumbling into the world of engineering. Let's talk a little about that to show the perspective above on decision making. So back in high school, integrated science at the time was a combination of biology, physics and chemistry. I loved chemistry, I could manage physics, but certainly detested biology with my whole being. I was very certain within myself I would never do biology beyond junior high. The academic counselor said to me, it is compulsory for a science student to do all 3 sciences and I refused vehemently. This decision means you become a technical student, I said bring it on. OMG! Little did I know that I sentenced myself to the world of carrying TD boards, further maths, geography, and the likes, whilst majority of the other girls strolled majestically to class looking all pose and dandy. It became clear that I needed to rock my own chosen boat with pride less I accept defeat from the onset. I had to strive against the odds to make the best of the choice I made even as a teenager. Engineering (the male dominated profession) stared me in the face with the combination of subjects at end of senior high school. In life, we often need to make decisions with the end not fully in sight, the onus is on you to make it worthwhile. It is paying off today.

In the workspace, it’s no different. Daily we are confronted with scenarios, opinions, choices, and decisions have to be made to keep the ship sailing. The interesting thing is you may not even have all the information required and your opinion may not even be the popular option. Like they say on the street, all die na die, choose your poison… LOL!!!, meaning you still got to make a choice.

Making choices or decisions is never easy but often necessary and in some cases compulsory. I recall in my early career, when I had to decide if a foreign experience was something to hop on. The offer was certainly very juicy but the timing was not convenient for family reasons, so invariably it was a NO for me.?

A few things in my opinion are important in making decisions and determining if you would go with the tide or against the tide:

• What is the intent in the decision being made? What is the “Why”?
• Do you have all the information to make an informed decision? How much of a calculated risk is required?
• Who is impacted by the outcome of the decision? Have you adequately considered the effects, fully engaged, and communicated appropriately?
• Are there any alternatives or mitigations should a decision not yield the desired outcome?

Whatever the case may be, life is always about choices and decisions. Be sure to have thought it through and thoroughly. Many are dependent on the choices or decisions you make.?

I do hope this has been helpful and a worthy read as well.

Compliments of the season, LinkedIn