In today’s workplace, it seems we’re constantly weighing the benefits of each professional and career-oriented skill we have. Whether it be our organizational methods or our critical thinking skills, our personal strengths are what make us who we are.
So when it comes to decision-making skills, not many other traits can top it in terms of value and importance. Good decision-making skills are essential in today’s world – without them, making the right decisions can be extremely difficult!
It’s probably a good idea to improve your decision-making skills, even if you already consider yourself an expert decision-maker. And when it comes to comedy jugglers, not many others know more about effective decision-making than they do!
See Related: Why Comedy Keynotes Are The Best Speakers
Key Takeaways
Take it from comedy jugglers and improve your decision-making skills by doing the following:
- Develop a plan
- Know it’s okay to make mistakes and take risks
- Operate with confidence
- Imagine your ideal outcome
- Consider all your options
- Take breaks when you need to
- Don’t forget to laugh!
#1. Make A Plan, And Go From There
Making an informed decision typically isn’t a rapid choice. Often, we are deliberate and careful when deciding our actions. Like comedy jugglers, great decision-makers don’t usually rely solely on split-second decisions.
Poor decisions are often an outcome of poor planning, and these poor decisions can often lead to a slew of negative impacts or consequences. When we act on rash ideas or emotions, it can lead us down a dangerous path.
Your decision-making abilities are based on your ability to consider all available information to make an informed choice. This includes remembrance of past experiences, consideration of valuable advice, and the opinions and different perspectives of other team members.
Jugglers walk into their gig with a plan in place – what to do, how to do it, and what to do if that plan goes wrong. Of course, we can plan and even over-plan, but there are still those inevitable moments when that carefully articulated plan doesn’t go accordingly.
So when the plan goes wrong, what happens next? That’s when it becomes essential to be adaptable and flexible. Being hard-headed and stubborn won’t get you far in business.
Accepting challenges and risks, but still implementing an intelligent plan, is essential to improve decision-making skills in the workplace.
#2. Don’t Be Afraid To Make Mistakes!
As we stated earlier, even when you plan for all possible outcomes and believe you are making the right decision, sometimes things can get jumbled and fall apart. For example, when a juggler drops their balls, figuring out how to successfully and gracefully recover is a mighty task at hand, but it is necessary to move forward.
So, when it comes to your workplace decision-making, one crucial aspect is to accept the possibility that you will someday make the wrong decision. And that’s okay! Trust your gut feelings in these situations.
No one is perfect, and we sure aren’t machines. But, as soon as you recognize and accept those facts, your decision-making skills will soar – you’ll no longer have the fear of failure holding you back!
Of course, we all want to make the right decision and enjoy the rewards of experiencing the best outcome. But that won’t always happen. Having this self-awareness is crucial when it comes to effective decision-making in the corporate workplace.
#3. Recognize The Rewarding Potential Of Taking Risks
Making wise, effective, and timely decisions is a precious skill to have in the workplace. But if you want to improve upon this skill, it will take many risks.
Making decisions can be challenging and inevitably nerve-wracking. It’s easy to get plagued by imaginary scenarios where everything goes wrong, and horrible long-term consequences haunt your every step.
Luckily, it’s never really that bad.
Regardless, the best decisions that were made throughout history were made with numerous risks at hand. So, like comedy jugglers, you need to make critical decisions accepting whatever risks are waiting at the other end.
But that doesn’t mean you won’t be successful!
- Walt Disney’s former newspaper editor told him he “lacked imagination.”
- Jerry Seinfeld’s first time performing as a stand-up comedian ended with him getting booed off the stage.
- Oprah Winfrey was fired from her first TV job.
- Vincent Van Gogh only sold one painting in his lifetime and only gained fame after his death.
- Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team.
Even when making the wrong decisions, we can still learn a lot about the process and even our own strengths and weaknesses. So it’s never really a failure when we’re always learning!
#4. Be Assertive And Confident
Picture the best leader you know in your head. Is that person shy and timid or confident and assertive?
When it comes to being a great decision-maker, it can come down to one key attribute – confidence. This quality is the one true superpower that allows us to do whatever we set our minds to.
For jugglers, confidence allows their acts to be captivating, entertaining, and successful. An act that is built on a bold spirit is an act that will genuinely connect with the audience!
Confidence is the lifeblood of any employee or working professional. How we carry ourselves and our demeanor says a lot about who we are and what we think of ourselves.
That’s why confidence is so crucial in the workplace! When you feel its energizing power, you can be more productive, feel happier, and make better decisions.
As humans, we are designed to be drawn to power and assertion. So when you seek to improve your decision-making skills, utilizing the benefits of confidence can quickly bring you the results you want.
Without confidence, even simple decisions can become complicated. Neglecting confidence can be extremely detrimental to our professional goals and plans. Deciding to forego carrying confidence with us is already one bad decision in the books.
Bonus: 5 Key Ways To Make Your Next Corporate Speech Hilarious
#5. Picture Your Desired Outcome
The decision-making process can be a complex and intriguing journey. Often, our decisions are made because we have a goal or desire that we wish to see fulfilled. And the best decision is one that brings you your desired outcome.
Comedy jugglers need to make a plan and bring it to life. So from the beginning of their act to the end, they’re cultivating an atmosphere and environment of entertainment and wonder. By the end, their audience is laughing and feeling alive. And that is the desired outcome!
At Clean Comedians, our entertainers start their journey even before they step on stage. For any corporate event, we do extensive research on your company to ensure that the content we provide is specifically tailored to your team.
Whether you want a keynote speaker or a comedy juggler, each of our members designs their content to be free from dirty or divisive topics that leave the audience feeling uncomfortable. Instead, they rely on personalized comedy and enjoyable entertainment to truly connect with the audience and leave them laughing!
So, like with Clean Comedian’s comedy jugglers, if you want to improve your decision-making skills, ensure you know exactly what your end goal is. This will help you focus on the process and make good decisions!
#6. Weigh Your Options
When we make decisions in the workplace, there often isn’t just one way to go. If that’s the case, it’s not much of a decision! When you have more choices than one, understanding how to weigh your options is essential for improving decision-making skills.
Don’t make a split-second decision. Instead, fully analyze each option and their respective outcomes. Critical thinking and problem-solving skills are vital in this process.
It is essential to ensure you gather information and knowledge pertaining to your unique situation. It’s also a good idea to work with other team members and try to understand a new perspective in the process.
Don’t just opt to communicate with people who think like you (also known as confirmation bias). This will hinder your ability to focus on the outcome and prevent you from making better decisions.
#7. Understand Your Personal Decision-Making Process
When it comes to the workplace, we all operate and communicate differently. And that’s one of the beautiful parts of our humanity that makes us who we are!
One of the first steps to improving your decision-making skills is to understand how you make decisions best. For example, perhaps you think best with limited distractions and a clear mind, or maybe you thrive when you are placed under pressure.
Regardless of how you work best, knowing your unique skills and traits can help you make better decisions. Capitalizing on your strengths is a strength in itself!
Jugglers know that when they walk into a gig, knowing their personal strengths and weaknesses is vital in putting on an excellent performance. If they know they thrive at one particular technique, they are likely to use it more to draw intrigue and applause!
So when you understand your decision-making process, it becomes easy to know where to push forward and where to fall back. This can help prevent you from making the wrong decisions.
#8. Rest When You Need To
Excellent decision-making skills can be viewed as the characteristics of an assertive and productive employee. But we aren’t machines, and we all need to know when to rest (which is a valuable trait in and of itself!)
Taking the time to step away, reset, and focus on our work-life balance is essential to maintain an open and transparent mind, which, in and of itself, is vital for curating excellent decision-making skills.
Without proper rest, our minds will become overwhelmed and inevitably burn out. And when that happens, we will experience decision fatigue.
Comedy jugglers for hire know that to perform to the best of their abilities, they must take periodic breaks and rests. And they also know a thing or two about balancing work and family life.
The right decisions come from a place of happiness and contentment, so before you start making decisions from a place of stress and fatigue, take a simple break and see how your mind prospers!
#9. Laughter Is The Best Medicine
We’ve all heard it countless times – “Laughter is the best medicine!”
We often brush this saying off as a joke or view it as pointless advice that isn’t worth much. But in fact, laughter (especially in the workplace) can bring extensive and outstanding benefits.
Laughter is fantastic for stress relief and management, which is essential for keeping our minds clear throughout the decision process. Giving your employees a chance to laugh out loud and enjoy exceptional entertainment is a great way to provide them with the happiness they deserve!
Putting on a corporate event with a comedy juggler is a foolproof way to put a smile on your team’s face, boost collaboration, and improve your entire company’s culture. With Clean Comedians, you don’t need to worry about anything except enjoying the entertainment!
To improve your decision-making skills, don’t underestimate the power of laughter. You’ll feel the creative juices flowing in no time, and your decision-making skills will flourish!
Keep Reading: 9+ Corporate Speakers With Some Magic To Offer
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Adam Christing is a professional comedy magician, virtual MC, and the founder of CleanComedians.com. He is a member of the world-famous Magic Castle in Hollywood and a popular corporate entertainer, magician, and virtual speaker.
