COURSE OVERVIEW:

Welcome to Advanced Workplace Decision-Making Skills, a course designed to sharpen your ability to make strategic, tactical, and operational decisions in a professional environment. Effective decision-making is vital not only for personal career growth but also for the success of your organisation. This course explores the intricacies of decision-making, helping you distinguish between routine and complex decisions while building a robust framework for making informed, ethical, and high-impact choices.

Effective decision-making is a process that unfolds in phases, from identifying a problem or opportunity to implementing and monitoring the decision. You will gain insight into each stage of this process, developing a structured approach to ensure your decisions are well-informed and actionable.

In the workplace, decisions range from routine and programmed to non-routine and non-programmed, with varying degrees of complexity. This section will guide you through the different types of decision-making, including when to involve a group or rely on individual decision-making techniques.

Data plays a central role in modern decision-making. We’ll cover analytical tools such as SWOT analysis and cost-benefit evaluation, teaching you how to leverage data to make well-rounded decisions based on clear evidence.

Creativity is essential for overcoming barriers to decision-making. You’ll explore techniques like brainstorming, mind mapping, and lateral thinking, which enable you to approach decisions from new angles and generate innovative solutions.

Ethical considerations are a crucial aspect of decision-making in today’s workplace. This section covers how to evaluate your choices through ethical frameworks, balancing profit motives with corporate social responsibility, and managing the challenges of ethical dilemmas.

Group decision-making is often necessary for complex challenges. You’ll learn strategies for building consensus, avoiding groupthink, and facilitating group discussions that lead to better collective decisions.

In a data-driven world, making sense of big data and using it to inform decisions is critical. You’ll learn how to gather, analyse, and apply data to make practical and impactful choices for your organisation.

Handling uncertainty is part of every decision-making process. This section will focus on how to make informed decisions even with incomplete information, using scenario planning and risk assessment techniques to navigate uncertain futures.

Critical thinking underpins every high-quality decision. By challenging assumptions, avoiding conventional thinking, and using logic, you’ll strengthen your ability to improve decision quality and outcomes.

Leadership plays a key role in decisive action. You’ll develop confidence in making high-stakes decisions as a leader, learning techniques for managing the consequences of those choices while maintaining accountability.

Time management is critical when making decisions under pressure. You’ll explore how to prioritise decisions based on urgency and importance while avoiding the pitfalls of decision fatigue.

Technology is transforming decision-making. You’ll learn how AI, machine learning, and decision-support systems can enhance your decision-making process, making it more efficient and data-driven.

Emotional intelligence is essential in decision-making, particularly in high-stress scenarios. You’ll discover how emotions influence decisions, how to balance rationality and emotion, and how to manage emotional bias effectively.

Reflecting on past decisions is essential for continuous improvement. This section will introduce tools for post-decision analysis, helping you evaluate what worked, what didn’t, and how to refine your approach moving forward.

Finally, you will build a personal decision-making framework that aligns with your unique style, focusing on techniques that improve your decision-making consistency and help you develop habits for making high-quality decisions.

By the end of this course, you will have the skills and tools to make informed, strategic, and impactful decisions that benefit both your career and your organisation.

Each section is complemented with examples to illustrate the concepts and techniques discussed.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

By the end of this course, you will be able to understand the following topics:

1. Introduction to Advanced Decision-Making

• The Importance of Decision-Making in Professional Growth
• The Impact of Effective Decision-Making on Organisational Success
• Differences Between Strategic, Tactical, and Operational Decisions

2. The Decision-Making Process

• Understanding the Phases of Decision-Making
• Identifying the Problem or Opportunity
• Implementing and Monitoring the Decision

3. Types of Decision-Making in the Workplace

• Routine vs. Non-Routine Decisions
• Programmed vs. Non-Programmed Decisions
• Individual vs. Group Decision-Making

4. Analytical Decision-Making Techniques

• Using Data for Informed Decision-Making
• SWOT Analysis
• Cost-Benefit Analysis for Decision Evaluation

5. Creative Decision-Making Techniques

• Brainstorming for Innovative Solutions
• Mind Mapping for Idea Exploration
• Lateral Thinking to Overcome Mental Blocks

6. Ethical Decision-Making in the Workplace

• Evaluating Decisions Through Ethical Frameworks
• Balancing Profit with Corporate Social Responsibility
• Managing Ethical Dilemmas in Decision-Making

7. Group Decision-Making Strategies

• The Role of Consensus in Group Decisions
• Techniques for Avoiding Groupthink
• Effective Facilitation of Group Decision-Making Sessions

8. Data-Driven Decision-Making

• The Role of Big Data in Decision-Making
• Tools for Gathering and Analysing Data
• Making Sense of Data for Practical Application

9. Handling Uncertainty in Decision-Making

• Making Decisions with Incomplete Information
• Scenario Planning for Uncertain Futures
• Risk Assessment and Mitigation

10. The Role of Critical Thinking in Decision-Making

• Identifying Assumptions in the Decision Process
• Challenging Conventional Thinking
• Using Logic to Improve Decision Quality

11. Decisive Leadership

• Building Confidence in Decision-Making as a Leader
• Techniques for Making High-Stakes Decisions
• Managing the Consequences of Leadership Decisions

12. Time Management in Decision-Making

• Making Timely Decisions Under Pressure
• Prioritising Decisions Based on Urgency and Importance
• Avoiding Decision Fatigue

13. Technology and Decision-Making

• Leveraging AI and Machine Learning for Decisions
• The Role of Decision-Support Systems
• Digital Tools for Collaborative Decision-Making

14. Emotional Intelligence in Decision-Making

• Recognising the Emotional Influences on Decisions
• Balancing Rationality and Emotion in Decisions
• Managing Emotional Bias in High-Stress Decisions

15. Evaluating and Reflecting on Decisions

• Post-Decision Analysis: What Worked and What Didn’t
• Tools for Evaluating Decision Outcomes
• Continuous Improvement Through Decision Audits

16. Building a Personal Decision-Making Framework

• Identifying Your Decision-Making Style
• Techniques for Improving Personal Decision-Making
• Developing Habits for Consistent, High-Quality Decisions

COURSE DURATION:

The typical duration of this course is approximately 2-3 hours to complete. Your enrolment is Valid for 12 Months. Start anytime and study at your own pace.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS:

You must have access to a computer or any mobile device with Adobe Acrobat Reader (free PDF Viewer) installed, to complete this course.

COURSE DELIVERY:

Purchase and download course content.

ASSESSMENT:

A simple 10-question true or false quiz with Unlimited Submission Attempts.

CERTIFICATION:

Upon course completion, you will receive a customised digital “Certificate of Completion”.