Decisions, big and small, need to be made every day, and for an organization to be effective, its managers need to be able to constantly solve problems and make decisions that are of benefit to it.

The first step in doing so is to prioritize problems according to the effect they have on the organization, ensuring that decisions are made first on the ones of most significance to the organization. Having prioritized, each problem should then be worked through systematically before a final decision is made on it.

Knee-jerk decisions can be harmful, and to avoid them, one must gather and assess all information available about an issue. It is risky to rely on just one source when collecting information and facts as the source may be biased. Further, only verifiable information should be used to make a determination.

Brainstorming possible solutions with one or more individuals, after receiving all relevant information, can provide a few different perspectives, which can be beneficial to coming up with an elucidation that will work. Potential options can be wide-ranging in the beginning and narrowed down and tweaked until the best possible fix is determined.

Once possible solutions have been nailed down, then it is important to consult with others, particularly those individuals who the final decision will affect, in order to get feedback as to feasibility for implementation. Drawing on a pool of knowledge, skills and experience is infinitely preferable to an autonomous decision.

Tools, techniques and analysis methods (such as: Pareto Analysis; Paired Comparison Analysis; Grid Analysis; PMI; Six Thinking Hats; Starbursting; Decision Trees) can then be applied. These are not conclusive, but they do offer an objective and somewhat scientific approach to decision making. Theyre particularly useful when the decision-makers judgment is liable to be clouded by being too closely involved with the issue at hand.

The final step will be to weigh the positive benefit of each proposed solution against any negative impact such decision may incur, as few solutions can be implemented without some draw-back. The best solution will be the one that offers the most positive benefit, with the least likelihood of negative side-effects.