Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.—-Ralph Waldo Emerson
As a new administrator in a new district, I felt like a little fish in a big ocean. My thoughts lead me to always wondering would my decisions and choices be right or would I step into something which would lead me to the end of my career. I was nervous but thought I could not lead this way. My confidence had to be solid for my team to believe in me.
Ralph Waldo Emerson’s quote spoke to me. I thought, “We do not follow others; others follow us.” In making decisions and choices, many would need to be made at the moment, but many can be made with input from our team. What process can be used?
Decisions, Decisions, and Decisions. Choices, Choices, and Choices. How are you at watching your step when making a decision and a choice? Do you sometimes step into a mess or step out of one? There seems to be a great deal to think about when deciding. What are the steps you utilize to make them?
Decision Making Steps
State the problem or issue:
- Brainstorm as a team the ideas as a solution
- Ask team members to use post it notes to vote on their top three choices.
- Take the top three vote getters as the beginning of your discussions
- Top three solutions to discuss
- Place the three solutions on board and begin process of adding pro’s and con’s
- Continue to add evidence to each solution to provide for a vote of why it is the best choice or decision.
- Take a vote on the best solution or choice.
- Present the solution, decision or choice
- Talk about the decision or choice.
- How will it be implemented? Costs? How will it be monitored and evaluated? Timelines?
- Implement
- Monitor
- Evaluate
Before and After
In every decision and choice we make, it is our beliefs and values which is the foundation we base them on. Our team is founded on the core values of our organization and the vision in which we seek to reflect in all we do. Every step we take is to move us closer to the goals in our mission to complete our overall vision.
In our process, we must always have this as a focus before, during, and after decisions and choices are made. If we side-step away from them, our decisions and choices will derail us from accomplishing our mission and vision.