Phl 320 - Decision-Making Process

Decision-Making Process

Eric Downey

PHL/320

Matthew Gidley

The Situation

I was in a situation not too long ago where I had to make a life changing decision. Stay where I was working for a decent salary, with one week’s paid vacation, or move on for less money however, if I were to move on I would have the potential to further myself in that company whereas I was pretty much capped at my current job. I started with the decision-making process weighing the pros and cons for each position. Was the risk going to be worth the potential reward in the end? The problem I faced, was everything I was being promised true? Was the new employer willing to put it into writing what I was working towards?

In the coming days I knew that I needed to do my research, while creating alternatives to making sure that this was a positive move forward, and not just a lateral move. What I was able to find was there was a lot of potential at the new company, room for growth into a manager. I was going to be able to implement my own training program to mold the employees into what I thought they should be. I wasn’t going to ever have this type of freedom at my current job. Employees who are empowered to make changes within their current company are going to be less likely to make a change to a different company. Feeling like your input is valued to your bosses will allow you to feel like you are more a part of the company and that you are making a difference within the business.

Looking at all the alternatives that I had generated it was now time to assess them. What was I going to do, stay at my current job, leave for something new in the same field with room for growth, or find something completely different and start from scratch, these were really my only option at the time. I sat down and looked over all the information I could find on the topic and went from there. This would be the only way I was able to come to the best decision for myself and my family.

When it boiled down to decision time I was able to approach my potential new employer with the information needed for myself to get what I wanted in the job while meeting their requirements of me. We came to an agreement, and I started working for him two weeks later. This researched and involved decision was the best decision of my life. I am now the route manager of six FedEx routes and can still move up the cooperate ladder. If it weren’t for my ability to plan, research, and come up with alternative decisions I don’t think I would have been able to come up with the decision that I did in the end.

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