By , Jayson DeMers
Published September 29, 2016
One of the most crucial roles you as an entrepreneur play is that of decision-maker; as the founder and leader of an organization, you have the power to make final decisions at all levels, whether you're hiring that new intern or changing your business' strategic course.
Related: Decisions, Decisions: What Separates Leaders From the Rest
Importantly, there’s an art to making decisions, and though you'll rarely see an objectively “right” or “wrong” decision before you, how you approach this task can have a massive impact on your end results.
The crucial factor here is pressure. If you're a new entrepreneur, once you begin making important decisions, you may fall victim to that pressure, procrastinating rather than finalizing any one course of action. This path can be self-destructive, so it’s important to proactively recognize it, and correct it so you can become a better decision-maker.
The first step is recognizing if you’re a "decision procrastinator" in the first place. All of us are procrastinators in some capacity; you’ve likely delayed the completion of various assignments in your education or work history, or put off making a difficult phone call until the last minute. And a handful of motivations are usually at play here, such as the desire to opt for immediate gratification or you waiting to see if "something changes." And, in some cases, procrastination can actually be a good thing (more on that later).
However, you know you have a problem if you find yourself delaying decisions regularly because:
The operative phrase here is “regularly.” You’ll likely encounter these scenarios intermittently even if you’re a solid decision-maker, but it’s only a problem if it’s recurring or severe.
Sometimes, procrastination can be a useful tool. For example, you may want to delay your decision until you’ve gathered more data about the issue. If the decision is a particularly significant one and doesn’t demand an answer right away, you may ruminate in order to produce a better conclusion.
Related: The 7 Styles of Decision Making
If multiple variables might influence your target outcome, you may wait to see if those variables emerge or change. These are examples where procrastination acts as an assisting force, rather than a means of avoidance; this is the critical distinction that separates beneficial procrastination strategies from harmful ones.
If you find that you’re consistently relying on harmful or destructive procrastination strategies in your decision-making, there are some strategies that can help you overcome that tendency:
Related: 7 Keys to Making the Right Decision the First Time and Every Time
Many of your decisions as an entrepreneur will likely be complicated and difficult to make. However, you need to be willing to work through your decisions directly and resolutely if you want to be successful. These strategies can help you overcome your tendencies to procrastinate making a final decision, leading you to better, faster and firmer decision-making strategies.
https://www.foxnews.com/us/are-you-a-decision-procrastinator-heres-how-to-change-that