How to strengthen your decision-making skills and make better choices at work

What are decision-making skills? 

Good decision-making isn’t about making quick choices, it's the ability to make informed choices that align with your goals and values. Strong decision-makers can assess different factors, weigh up their options, and take action that delivers meaningful results.

Strong decision-making skills are essential for professional success. They equip you for tackling challenges but also for spotting opportunities and pushing strategic goals forward. When you master the decision-making process, you’re better equipped to think critically, act decisively, and keep momentum on key projects.

What effective decision making looks like in the workplace

Strong decision-makers take a balanced approach, considering multiple perspectives, evaluating risks, and choosing the course of action most likely to deliver a successful outcome. Here are a few examples of how effective decision-making plays out in a professional setting:

Strategic decisions 

These are long-term choices that influence the direction of the organisation, such as prioritising key projects, entering new markets, or restructuring teams. A solid decision-making framework ensures that these choices are aligned with the company’s broader goals.

Risk assessment 

Every decision carries an element of risk. Effective decision-makers know how to assess potential downsides and benefits, which helps them make calculated choices. They understand when a risk is worth taking and when it’s better to step back.

Timely action 

Some decisions require speed; others require patience and deeper analysis. Developing strong decision-making skills means knowing when to pause for more information and when to act confidently, even when you don’t have all the answers.

7 steps of decision-making process with examples

Using a systematic decision-making process can help you stay focused, reduce uncertainty, and feel more confident in your choices, especially in hectic or high-pressure situations. Let's go through each of the seven steps below with a typical workplace example: a marketing manager deciding whether to invest in a new digital ad platform to boost lead generation.

1. Identify the decision that needs to be made 

Start by pinpointing the issue or opportunity. Make sure everyone involved understands the challenge and what you’re trying to achieve. Ask yourself:

• What exactly is the issue I need to address?
• What outcome am I hoping to achieve?
• Who else needs to be involved or informed?

Example: You’ve noticed a steady decline in leads coming from your current advertising channels. You need to decide whether to stick with your current platforms or invest in a new one. The goal is to improve both the volume and quality of leads, while staying within budget.

2. Gather relevant information 

Good information leads to good decisions. Gather data from a range of sources. This could include performance reports, customer information, team feedback, industry statistics. Consider both quantitative (metrics, KPIs) and qualitative (user experience, anecdotal feedback) inputs.

Example: You look at campaign data from the past 12 months and see a 25% drop in engagement. You speak to the sales team, who mention that recent leads haven’t been converting as well. You also check your budget to understand how much flexibility you have for testing a new platform. Finally, you research advertising trends in your industry to see where competitors are investing.

3. Explore alternative solutions 

Take time to brainstorm all possible options, even unconventional ones. Aim for at least three viable alternatives. Consider the timeframe for implementation, required resources, and potential outcomes.

Example: You identify three main options, below.

• Option A: Allocate budget to test a new digital advertising platform targeting a different audience segment.
• Option B: Optimise your existing platform with updated targeting and fresh creative assets.
• Option C: Combine both strategies by running a small test on the new platform while fine-tuning your current campaigns.

4. Weigh the pros and cons 

Assess the advantages and disadvantages of each option. Consider short-term and long-term impact, risk versus reward, and how each choice aligns with your objectives. If possible, involve others in this process.  Open discussion often leads to better decisions.

Example: You create a pros and cons list for each option:

• Option A opens a new audience segment but may take longer to optimise.
• Option B is a safer route but may not address the underlying issue.
• Option C gives you a low-risk way to test new waters while still maintaining results from existing channels.

You also map these options to your KPIs and strategic goals.

5. Choose among the alternatives 

Once you’ve evaluated your options, make a decision. Be sure you are clear about why you’re making it. Communicate your reasoning and get buy-in from any key stakeholders. Be prepared to take ownership but also remain open to feedback if new information emerges.

Example: You choose Option C, a hybrid approach. It balances innovation with stability and allows you to test the new platform without fully committing straight away. You share your plan with your manager and get approval to move ahead.

6. Take action 

Translate your choice into a clear plan. Define key steps, delegate responsibilities, assign resources, and establish deadlines. Ensure everyone concerned is aware of what's going on, when, and why. Keep communicating to monitor progress and solve problems early.

Example: You schedule a campaign kick-off meeting, assign creative tasks to your design team, and brief your performance agency to run the pilot. You create a campaign tracker in your dashboard and set a six-week test period, with weekly check-ins to monitor early signs of success.

7. Review your decision and its impact 

After implementation, take time to reflect. Think about what worked, what didn’t, and what you could do differently next time. Reviewing your process will strengthen your decision-making framework moving forward. Ask yourself:

• Did the outcome meet expectations?
• What lessons can you carry into future decisions?
• Were the results successful?

Example: At the end of the test period, the new platform has delivered 30% more qualified leads at a lower cost-per-lead than your existing channels. You decide to expand your investment in the platform, document the test results, and present a summary to leadership. You also note what could be improved for next time—like setting clearer benchmarks up front and involving the sales team earlier in the process.

Practical ways to build your decision-making skills

Like any soft skill, you can improve your decision-making abilities with time and practise. Below are practical tools and strategies you can use to build your confidence.

Attend decision-making workshops

Look for professional development programs that explore different decision-making frameworks. These sessions often use real-life case studies to help you apply theory to workplace situations.

Use simulations to practise

Simulations or role-playing scenarios are a safe way to practise making tough calls without real consequences. These exercises help you learn from trial and error in a low risk setting.

Be data-driven

Support your decision making with facts. Use dashboards, analytics, or business intelligence tools to reduce bias and make informed decisions.

Manage your mindset

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed when facing big decisions. Avoid analysis paralysis by limiting your options, setting deadlines, and breaking decisions into manageable parts. Aim to make choices from a calm, balanced mindset, not from stress or urgency.

Involve others

You don’t need to make every decision alone. Ask for input from mentors or peers, especially if you’re unsure. Hearing diverse perspectives can reveal new solutions and prevent blind spots.

Decision making frameworks

When you're faced with tough or risky decisions, using a decision-making framework can bring clarity to your thinking. These tools are especially useful when evaluating multiple options, involving others, or trying to get past personal bias. Using a framework will allow you to make more thoughtful, fact-based decisions that advance your goals.

Here are two easy-to-use frameworks you can start using right away:

SWOT analysis

A SWOT analysis helps you evaluate the internal and external factors that could influence your decision. It encourages you to consider the full picture. What’s working in your favour, where the risks lie, and what future opportunities exist.

How to use it: 
Draw a simple four-box grid and list:

• Strengths – What advantages does this option have? What resources, capabilities, or support can you leverage?
• Weaknesses – What limitations or gaps might hold this option back?
• Opportunities – What potential benefits or gains could this decision unlock?
• Threats – What external risks, challenges, or competing factors should you be aware of?

Decision matrix (prioritisation matrix)

A decision matrix helps you objectively compare multiple options against a consistent set of criteria. It’s especially useful when you're choosing between several viable paths and want a clearer way to evaluate which one best fits your needs.

How to use it:

1. List your decision options across the top of a table.
2. Down the side, list the criteria that matter most to your decision (e.g. cost, timeline, ROI, ease of implementation).
3. Assign each option a score from 1-5 for how well it meets each criterion.
4. Add weightings if certain criteria are more important.
5. Tally the scores to identify which option performs best overall.

Using decision-making frameworks like SWOT and the decision matrix not only improves the quality of your decisions, but it also helps you justify and explain your choices to others, including your team, manager, or external stakeholders.

The importance of decision-making

Strong decision-making skills are highly valued by employers because they lead to stronger business outcomes. When you make better decisions, you become more effective, more resilient, and more capable of taking ownership of your role.

You don’t need to be in a leadership position to make important choices. Every team member can play a role in driving better outcomes by committing to thoughtful, informed, and accountable decision-making.

Want to sharpen your decision-making and other soft skills? 

Download our Mastering soft skills in the workplace e-guide for practical tips, plus advice on how to showcase your decision-making skills throughout the recruitment process.