Effective Decision Making Requires Emotional Intelligence

Definition: Decision Making is using problem solving skills to discover and choose a course of action most likely to get the desired results. Problem solving and decision making are two separate things. Problem solving means being coerced to make a decision because of things not in one’s control.

Decision making means to choose to make a decision because one wishes for something to happen that is not happening at the present time. Decision making is used because one wants something to happen while problem solving is used when a question needs to be answered. In both cases, emotions play a key role. If you do not know how you feel about a particular issue, you are paralyzed in making a decision about that issue.

Steps to Problem Analysis:

Step 1. State the problem.

Step 2. Accept that it is your duty or responsibility to solve the problem.

Step 3. Collect data or information specifically related to the problem.

Step 4. Organize the data.

Step 5. Interpret or explain the data.

Step 6. Find the real causes of the problem.

Step 7. Put a decision into action.

Step 8. Test the results.

Effective Decision Making is a skill that can be learned or enhanced by learning the four components of Emotional Intelligence. These components are personal self-awareness, anger management/self management, social awareness/assertive communication, stress management and empathy.

George Anderson, MSW, BCD, CAMF, CEAP
Diplomate, American Association of Anger Management Providers
Anderson & Anderson®, The Trusted Name in Anger Management
http://www.andersonservices.com/
http://www.aaamp.org
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