Developing Your Decision Making Skills Goodwill Works Curriculum Copyright ©2010 Goodwill Industries International, Inc

Making Positive Choices Problem Solving and Planning Ahead

Module Objectives Recognize problems or decisions that need to be made Identify how and why we avoid making decisions Use a process to decide on solutions Learn from decisions made Use decision-making to reach goals

Class Ground Rules Accept all points of view Be respectful Be recognized by the facilitator before speaking Do not interrupt when someone else is talking Be brief and to the point

Class Ground Rules (continued) Listen with an open attitude and without bias May disagree over ideas, but no personal attacks Avoid side conversations Silence cell phones Participate in discussions and activities

Recognizing Problems or a Need for Decision-Making Observing Listening Asking

Recognizing Problems or the Need for Decision-Making by Observing Watch for: Mistakes others make Negative looks on people’s faces A change in the way someone acts toward you Failure to meet your goals

Recognizing Problems or the Need for Decision-Making by Listening Listen carefully to: What your boss says What your customers say Hints your co-workers give you Advice your counselor or friends give you Your conscience

Recognizing Problems or the Need for Decision-Making by Asking Ask if your perception is correct Ask for advice Gather more information

How Do We Avoid Solving Problems or Making Decisions? Deciding it is not a problem Blaming someone or something else Making it someone else’s problem Doing nothing

What Can Happen When We Avoid Problems or Making Decisions? The problem/situation gets worse More problems arise Someone else solves it her/his way We stay stressed or angry We do not reach our goals

Why Do We Avoid Solving Problems or Making Decisions? Cannot think of a solution Hope someone else will solve it Are afraid of consequences Are not afraid of consequences Think we need more resources Need more willpower

Importance of Decisions “You are free to choose, but the choices you make today will determine what you will have, be and do in the tomorrow of your life.” —Zig Ziglar

The Decision Making Process 3 2 4 Option B 1 5 6

Making the Decision Get all the information you can Do not make assumptions Decide which consequences you can live with Get advice Do not decide too fast or too slow

Are You Stuck? Compromise Get help Toss a coin

Decisions and Goals and Values Will your decision: Prevent you from reaching your goals? Violate your values? Hurt someone? Require you to do something illegal?

Big Decisions, Small Decisions Each decision can take us down a path to becoming: In control Independent Who we want to be What we want to be

Decision Making to Get What You Want Be a good parent Get a better job Stay healthy

Learning From Decisions What could I have done differently? Think about: What went well What did not go well What could be done differently Yours and other people’s decisions Decisions with positive and negative results

Living With Your Decisions I did the best I could. Did you make the right decision?

Taking Control Watch and listen for problems and decision making situations Decide not to avoid problems or making decisions Follow a process for decision making and problem solving Work towards prevention Get help finding solutions Learn from your decisions Use Goodwill power

Decision Making Checklist Do I have all the information I need? Have I considered all possible solutions? Will my decision help me meet my goals? Does it violate any of my values? Have I considered all the consequences? Can I live with the consequences?

Final Thoughts Be objective -- think critically Use your tools Think both short-term and long-term Check with others when decisions may affect them Stay focused Use your values and goals as a compass