Do you have a hard time making decisions?

[Ontologuy]

I have the hardest time with some of my employees who just cannot make a decision alone, especially when they are new. They act like I am testing them when I say "I don't really care. You decide." The most recent example of this dealt with my business cards. The stock I use is no longer available so I told a lady to just meet with the rep and pick one. As long as it was white and the ink is black, I didn't care anything else about it. It took her like 3 days to decide which paper to order and involved her polling everybody else in the office and then presenting me with the results of her poll and like 30 stock samples for me to decide. I asked her which one she liked, and went with that in like two minutes, reminding her that when I say "I don't care. You decide" I mean "I do not care. You decide." Some people just do not do well without micromanagement. My favorite employee is one who tells me what to do when something needs to be done ASAP and never asks me what she should do because she doesn't need any detailed direction ever which saves me a ton of time.

Yes, some people, if they are considerably afraid of making a mistake or don't trust their own experience/judgment in a matter, will be so afraid of failing that they'll take forever to make a decision about even really tiny matters in the grand scheme of things, consulting others rather than trusting themselves, also so that if they "fail" they won't feel as guilty as it was not "all" their fault.

Procrastination is also a similar symptom of the fear of failing, of course.

My favorite employees were those who were confident enough in their own past successes that they would take the initiative to reasonably extend that confidence to new task areas where they would handle exceptions well that would crop up and without having to involve me .. so I get what you're saying.

 

[Fisher]

Yes, some people, if they are considerably afraid of making a mistake or don't trust their own experience/judgment in a matter, will be so afraid of failing that they'll take forever to make a decision about even really tiny matters in the grand scheme of things, consulting others rather than trusting themselves, also so that if they "fail" they won't feel as guilty as it was not "all" their fault.

Procrastination is also a similar symptom of the fear of failing, of course.

My favorite employees were those who were confident enough in their own past successes that they would take the initiative to reasonably extend that confidence to new task areas where they would handle exceptions well that would crop up and without having to involve me .. so I get what you're saying.

My worst employee ever was someone fresh out of the Navy. He simply could not function without manuals to tell him procedures for doing things. I told him fine, his job was to create a manual so someone would know how to do his job. I eventually had to chase them away. He was constantly bitching about me behind my back and my other employees were fed up with him ranting about me needing "to be held accountable" for not showing up to work, doing personal stuff at work, etc when I own the damn business and my employees love for me not to be there. My officer manager told me I had to fire him, but to keep from paying him unemployment, I chased him away instead. I told her I would need two weeks, but it only took 4 days to make him quit--a personal best.

 

[sangha]

I am bad at decision making and over analyze everything. Just last night I was at the gas station debating for about 5 minutes whether to get the fig newtons or a rice crispy treat. I went with the newtons and must have gotten a bad batch cause they tasted like crap.

And I thought you were smarter than that!

Fig Newtons are delicate morsels, and time is their mortal enemy, even when in their original packaging. You can safely buy them in the supermarket, because you know they're selling fast.

Rice Crispy Treats, on the other hand, are indestructible. In the event of a nuclear armageddon, the Rice Crispy Treats will not only survive, they will be perfectly edible.

I am a quick decision maker in part because I'm excellent at rationalizing my decisions, good or bad

 

[americanwoman]

And I thought you were smarter than that!

Fig Newtons are delicate morsels, and time is their mortal enemy, even when in their original packaging. You can safely buy them in the supermarket, because you know they're selling fast.

Rice Crispy Treats, on the other hand, are indestructible. In the event of a nuclear armageddon, the Rice Crispy Treats will not only survive, they will be perfectly edible.

Haha thanks now I know better for next time to go with the crispy treat. Although please pray they do not have different kinds - Chocolate chunk or chocolate with chocolate chunks hhmmmm....

 

[sangha]

Haha thanks now I know better for next time to go with the crispy treat. Although please pray they do not have different kinds - Chocolate chunk or chocolate with chocolate chunks hhmmmm....

Chocolate comes directly from Heaven. It's godly nature makes it as indestructible as the Rice Crispy Treats.

 

[Gipper]

I came to a number of realizations a long time ago.

If you don't make the decision, in effect you've made the decision.

and

It's much easier to focus on making a good decision than the right one.

Lastly,

The janitor knows more about whatever decision I need information on than my husband. Especially if he agrees with me.

Do you have a hard time making decisions?

Depends. As someone on the first page mentioned, major decisions I tend to research, analyze, and perform cost-benefit diagnoses on. Minor ones, not so much.

Also, in relationships, often I'm indecisive. If we go out to eat, we go "wherever she wants to go" (as long as the place has a nice chicken dish or a salad). If we see a movie, it's "whatever she wants to see" (no Twilight or Notebook or Dear John).

I like assertive women, and I'm a pleaser. Goes with the territory.

 

[lizzie]

Do you have a hard time making decisions?

Yes, I do. Always have. I have this nagging fear of making the wrong one. It's backed up by life experience.

 

[TheGirlNextDoor]

I came to a number of realizations a long time ago.

If you don't make the decision, in effect you've made the decision.

and

It's much easier to focus on making a good decision than the right one.

Lastly,

The janitor knows more about whatever decision I need information on than my husband. Especially if he agrees with me.

Do you have a hard time making decisions?

It depends on how serious the decision is.

I have a horrible tendency to over analyze things. I've learned over the years that sometimes you have to go with your gut. Sounds elementary, but that pit in the gut feeling is rarely wrong. I have to keep reminding myself that I'll make mistakes sometimes and that nobody's perfect.

Life is an ongoing learning experience. About the time I'm arrogant enough to think I know everything; will probably be about the time it all comes crashing down.
I've made some bad decisions in my life, but I've learned something from those bad devisions.

 

[lizzie]

Haha thanks now I know better for next time to go with the crispy treat. Although please pray they do not have different kinds - Chocolate chunk or chocolate with chocolate chunks hhmmmm....

Imo, the only good rice crispy treat is a homemade rice crispy treat. :mrgreen:
Real butter, cheap marshmallows, and real rice crispies. No artificial flavors or additives. :lol:

 

[Slartibartfast]

The only time I have a hard time making decisions is if I feel I have inadequate data or understanding to predict likely outcomes of the various options before me.

This is not often and I usually end up where I think I will be with a very high accuracy.

 

[sawyerloggingon]

I have no trouble at all making decisions and my wife has no trouble at all having the final decision.