1. The
Information Gathering Stage
Stage
one is assembling information. Not biased information. Not the information that
justifies the decision you already want to make. Gathering honest, objective
information is the essential first step to making a great decision.
“To discover the truth, I must look for the fiction that I want to believe is true but cannot really count on. My poor decisions were based on illusions I believed at the time. My better decisions are based on realities I recognize in time.” - Dr. Spencer Johnson
2. The
Shaping Stage
At
stage two your objective is no longer gathering information but digesting
information. Organize it. Let it simmer. Get counsel from others. Consider the
information while in a variety of moods. There are three critical
questions to ask in stage two…. “Have I really prayed about this?” “What does
God want me to do?” “Will I surrender my will to His?”
3. The
Finalizing Stage
Enough
evaluation! Make the decision! Just pull the trigger…fire…do it…let it go…quit
fretting it….get off the fence…rock and roll…move on! Perfection is not one of
your options! Do the best you can with what you have and make a call!
4. The
Execution Stage
Making
a good decision and executing a good decision are very different. Success now
depends on action. Carry out the decision with confidence and passion. This is
not a time for second guessing, shaping or evaluation. Ask God to help you with
strength and focus… then just do it, baby.
5. The
Patience Stage
Don’t
immediately
start evaluating. Give your decision time to work. A seed can’t grow
unless it is left in the ground, nurtured and given time. Be patient.
6. The
Evaluation Stage
With
the benefit of hindsight, evaluate the decision. You may need to revisit the
decision and make course corrections. Or, it may well be that any small
improvement gained from revisiting the decision will not be worth the time and
energy required. Evaluate the quality of the decision based on the information
you had at the time. Remember all great decisions don't lead to pleasant outcomes.

Thank you, thank you, thank you! I am going to print this out to refer to.
Posted by: Joan A. | March 25, 2009 at 07:23 AM