Posted by Dave Lorenzo - Business Coach

Leaders and superachievers make active decisions. Rather than letting life just happen to them, they seek the lives they want and do the necessary work to shape the future. They are not passive in their selection of careers, positions, clients, service providers, friends, or romantic partners. They use research, support networks, experience, and intuition to gather information and make smart choices. If you think you could stand some improvement on making active decisions, here are a couple of ideas to help get you started:

Say yes or no, not maybe so. When faced with a decision, after taking the appropriate amount of time to think about your choice, make a firm decision and stick to it. The actual decision is oftentimes less important than the decision-making process and the tenacity with which you pursue a solution, implement it, and see it through. We all make bad decisions from time to time, sure, but I cannot overstate the importance of making bold choices, taking determined action to realize those choices, and accepting responsibility for the outcome. You’re not going to make much progress or earn much respect if you take a passive, waffling stance. Weigh the pros and cons, and be extremely clear about your decisions. Use strong language, such as “I have decided to work on this project”, rather than soft and vague verbiage, such as “I think I might like to work on this.” Don’t feel guilty about saying no, if that is your best option. Be firm, clear, and resolute. Saying no is far preferable to saying yes to something you can’t do, flaking out, and being perceived as unreliable or dishonest.

Choose, rather than being chosen. Everything you do in life (assuming you are free and able) is a choice, and opportunities are infinite. Let’s say you’re attending job interviews for the next few days. Once the hiring managers have asked their questions of you, ask specific questions of your own about the company. An interview goes both ways. You need to make sure they are suitable for you. If you can’t find a good job in your field where you live, you can relocate. If you lack the training to get a great job, you can take classes or get a degree. If trepidation holds you back from moving up in your company, you can hire a coach or join an appropriate support group to overcome your fears. In any undertaking, professional or personal, you have many options. It is your duty to yourself to make smart, active choices in your career.

Filed under: Personal Strategic Planning
TrackBack URI     

1 Response »

Comments

1. As coaches, we run into similar ideas with our athletes. My wife has spent a few years researching this as it relates to athletes (and coaching). You my find her articles interesting.

   http://www.tridevelopment.info/Articles.htm

   Cheers,

   Kris

   Comment by SwimmingMatters — October 26, 2006 @ 18:47

RSS feed for comments on this post. TrackBack URI

Leave a comment

Line and paragraph breaks automatic, e-mail address never displayed, HTML allowed: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <code> <em> <i> <strike> <strong>

Name (required)

E-mail (required)

URI

Your Comment