A520.3.1.RB_TAYLORHEATHER

When I reflect over the evolution of my decision-making style, I find that I have been all over the place as a leader. Throughout childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood, decisions were direct and routine.  They were based on the logic of 'do whatever causes the least amount of adversity.'  I would rather agree with others and go against moral values to make the other persons involved feel comfortable at my own expense.  I would uphold the status quo even if it meant that I would struggle internally with the decision every single day.  

Today, my decision-making style is mostly complex.  Where I was previously an emotional, passive, quiet, cautious leader that was largely influenced by others, I am now a more active, assertive, risk-taking, logical, self-motivated and rational leader. There are definitely times within my daily decision making where I swing along the pendulum to include compliant or impulsive decision.  There are days where I delay my decision making.  While these instances are few in comparison to the majority of decisions, they do occur in my decision-making process.  

What I find to be the most balanced approach of decision making is to come to a centralized area between impulsivity and complacency.  To look at the alternative and evaluate whether risk-taking is the most appropriate or logical decision or if taking a less assertive and aggressive approach may be in the best interest of the long-term goals.  By analyzing decisions in a time-bound window, it can promote change action while still allowing enough critical thought and reflective analysis to rationalize the decision to the greatest level of certainty as possible.  This will decrease the paralyzing effects of procrastination, uncertainty and overthinking.

By building a network of logical peers, it is important to take the decisions to this group of decision-makers for review prior to execution.  This will allow for increased influence among peers.  According to Whetten & Cameron (2016), "Influence entails actually securing the consent of others to work with you in accomplishing an objective." (p. 241).  By inviting others into the decision-making process, you are increasing the trust bonds and opening up the opportunity to secure the consent needed to enhance areas of influence and thereby increasing power as a leader.

Whetten, D., & Cameron, K. (2016). Developing management skills (9th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.