By: O. Ross 

Ponder

Many entrepreneurs get in the habit of working without a meaningful sense of focus. Frankly speaking, it’s a natural tendency. The “To Do” list gets lost in duties carried over from the previous day; your phone calls, email, social networking may be ill-managed and create a distraction; a client project takes a turn and costs time. Nowadays, there are schools that no longer contest texting in class and businesses that embrace employees on Facebook. These are just a few common albeit valid reasons to illustrate how we create poor habits of not giving ourselves time to think.  Without time, how can we make great decisions? Our environment has changed to the expectation of real time responses and an irrational sense of urgency. As you navigate your decisions, it’s a great advantage to place yourself in an environment that allows you the think clearly. Then, discover your natural method of brainstorming and sifting through information. We all have a unique way of dissecting information, be conscious of your mental mannerisms. You will be surprised how creative you are.

Position

With minimal control of so many factors affecting our businesses – the economy, new laws, your market, etc, it’s nice to manage what’s in our domain.  Your mind most certainly fits that mold. Position yourself with a purposeful approach.  Ask yourself, what’s the need for your decision? What are my preferred and acceptable outcomes and why? It’s almost like going into negotiation. You should know what you want to get out of your negotiation before you start.  Positioning is great growth tactic. Make your decisions from a position to achieve optimal results.

Progress

This step is the most simple to initiate, but the most taxing because this is when the work begins.  Leave your brainstorming sessions with actionable steps. A decision is worthless without putting it into action. Give yourself incremental growth steps so you can celebrate the milestones along the way. 

O. Ross OutBox Tip

Use a process to make effective decisions, but allow yourself the latitude to forgive poor choices. It’s a part of life. Be proud of yourself and stay focused on your goals.