Ask HN: How do I improve my decision making skills as a young professional?

[abbylx]

As I grow professionally, I find that my greatest handicap is the ability to make good judgment calls in business situations.

Judgment calls such as deciding on what the right business strategy for a company should be or the right people to work with to get things done on a project as well as how to manage my relationship with these people are an issue.

Making a mistake in both for example can lead to revenue losses for the company or the stalling of a project.

How can I better improve my decision making abilities as a young business professional? Any advice from the more older folks or young professionals blessed with good decision making skills on HN would be much appreciated.

[stevenameyer]

As a fellow young professional, in my opinion the only way to improve decision making is to increase the amount of information and experience that you have to draw from to make the decision. This can be first hand information and experience or second hand.

So work on gathering information before making a decision, surround yourself with people with more experience and/or different areas of expertise and take every opportunity to try and absorb their second hand experience that you can, and finally make decisions and learn from them. The more you have to draw from the more likely that you will be able to make the best decision.

[brudgers]

"Making a mistake"

That, along with learning from the mistakes of others, and you have answered your own question.

[imagination]

watch this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ic6ucWVGeMc

[cschmitt]

slow down and don't jump the gun on your decision, get more information, talk to other people and get their opinions.

[abbylx]

Thanks everyone!