Effective decision making
Contents
Introduction
Welcome to this Unit on Effective Decision Making
The Skills of Making Effective Decisions enable one to take rational actions based on adequate information weighing alternatives and appreciating consequences of choices made.These skills are:
- Creative Thinking
- Critical Thinking
- Problem Solving
The objectives of the session are;
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Meaning of Decision
It is a choice that one makes between two or more possible options. One will need to make more and more decision as he/she goes through life. Some of these decision will affect him/her the rest of his/her lives. Decision making is the process of making a decision
Types of decision (i) impulsive (without thinking) (ii) rational involves reasoning
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Critical thinking: This is the ability to analyse and evaluate ideas or issues objectively. It is an attempt to understand what really constitutes the problem. It also means analyzing the problem and what may have caused it to emerge. Critical thinking is an important skill when people want to make choices which involve taking risks such as:
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Creative thinking: It is the ability of coming up with new ideas of doing things once the problem is understood and analysed as to its cause and its components.This involves looking for solutions. One may come up with various options.It is required by people so that they can make appropriate responses depending on the issue at hand. |
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Decision making: This involves weighing each option. It goes back to critical thinking around each option. In weighing the options it is necessary to look at each possibility in the light of the following:
Decision making then means taking the best options out of all the possible options. |
The steps in decision making process
Factors that influence decision making
- Information on the subject matter
- Personality type
- Social cultural factors
- Personal and other significant expectations
- Peer pressure
- Degree of challenges
- Personal goals and ambitions
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Problem Solving It is the ability to come up with workable solutions to different problematic situations It involves appreciating the nature of the problem by analyzing the causes and looking for possible solutions. This enables the individual to take the best alternative in whatever problem situations one is confronted with. |
NB Problem solving requires the application of all the other skills discussed in this unit.
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Evaluating factors that influence decision making:Participants to brainstorm and evaluate factors that influence decision making.
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Always think twice before you make your decision and think about your action and consequences. |
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