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6 Ways To Make Hard Decisions Easier As a Leader

6 Ways To Make Hard Decisions Easier As a Leader
by Jayson Demers

Leadership is mentally and emotionally demanding. Not only will you need to temper your emotions to keep your team inspired, you'll also be the point person for almost every hard decision your business makes. 

You're the one who has to make the call, and the one who has to deal with the consequences. It's no wonder that depression affects entrepreneurs more than the average population.

Sooner or later, you'll be forced to make a tough call; it might mean firing an employee you're personally close with, or making a risky strategic change for the business or ending a long-term partnership.

Fortunately, there are some strategies you can use to make these decisions easier, both in terms of finding a better option and resisting the stress and burdens that come along with it.

Try using these tactics the next time you're forced to make a hard decision.

1. Reduce decision fatigue.

Decision fatigue is a documented phenomenon that sets in when you make too many successive decisions. Even small decisions, like picking what to wear or ordering a meal, can accumulate the stress of decision-making and make approaching bigger decisions more stressful.

You can reduce decision fatigue by spending less time on small-scale decisions. Build habits that are repeatable, and let other people (like your assistants or coworkers) decide things that don't have much impact on you or your business.

2. Take yourself out of the equation.

According to the New York Times, one of the best ways to make decisions is to remove yourself from the picture altogether. Imagine that this isn't your company: Instead, pretend that it belongs to a friend, and you're advising him or her on what to do.

Describe the situation, out loud, as if the people and organizations involved were total strangers. If your friend came to you with this story, what would you advise? Oftentimes, it's easier to see the answer when we're removed from the situation, because the stakes are lower -- but the answer is just as good.

Read full article on Entrepreneur.