Decision-making is the ability to choose one of several optionsIt involves evaluating information, anticipating consequences, managing risks and taking responsibility for one's choices. It involves evaluating information, anticipating consequences, managing risks and taking responsibility for one's choices.
It requires lucidity, courage, method and self-confidence, because every decision involves results, people and sometimes significant resources.
Examples
- Choosing the best supplier for a project.
- Decide on the allocation of resources for a mission.
Why develop this soft skill?
Decision-making is essential for :
- Moving forward in a constantly changing environment
- Managing arbitration and crisis situations
- Clarify a direction and mobilise a team
- Avoid paralysis in the face of complexity or doubt
- Improving efficiency, credibility and leadership.
It is a core skill for all roles of responsibility or influence.
In life, you sometimes have to choose, even when you're not sure. Inaction is also a choice.
Seneca
How can we develop it?
- Knowing the bias that influence our decisions.
- Applying decision-support methods: SWOT, Eisenhower matrix, decision tree, etc.
- Learning to balance intuition and analysis.
- Make progressive decisions (tests, iterations, feedback).
- Accept imperfection: a good decision is often sufficiently informed, not perfect.
🔁 Associated skills
- Analytical skills
- Sense of responsibility
- Risk management
- Self-confidence
Self-assessment
✅ I can make a decision without waiting for all the certainties.
✅ I can rank the criteria for a choice.
✅ I don't let the fear of making a mistake hold me back (too much).
✅ I ask for advice without taking responsibility.
✅ I analyse the consequences of a decision before applying it.
Less than 4 positive responses? It's time to train your decision-making process
Training
Making a decision and selling it
Knowing how to convince and make people want to collaborate
AI for managers: anticipate, decide, transform
Assertiveness and assertiveness
Read also
Negotiating: how to structure your approach
How to develop leadership skills in women
The top soft skills for success in tech
To remember
Making a decision means taking a step forward. It means accepting imperfection, taking responsibility and learning to adjust as we go along. A good decision is not always the one that reassures everyone, but the one that helps us move forward.