I always thought of myself as a decisive person. But after reading Julia Tang Peters’ book Pivot Points: Five Decisions Every Successful Leader Must Make, I realize that there is more to decision-making than just the act itself. Rather, it’s the way we make decisions that predicts how far we go in our careers. There are, in fact, four types of decision-makers one finds in the workplace:
Leaders
This decision-making process places high importance on gathering information and gaining the support of other people affected by the decision. Leaders hold themselves accountable for their decisions even in the face of catastrophic setbacks. They continuously reach for bold and ingenious solutions, which energizes them and keeps them and their supporters committed.
Wanderers
Wanderers offer imaginative ideas and speak with passion about them, making them attractive to teams requiring innovative thinkers. They think carefully about how an idea looks and feels, as well as its functions and benefits. The problem with wanderers is that they don’t consider the practical implications of decisions the way leaders do, and they forget that great thinkers also need to be great doers. Wanderers do not hold themselves accountable for action and progress, so their decisions don’t produce pivotal outcomes.
For the other two types of decision makers, head over to the Intuit Fast Track blog.
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