The average person makes many hundreds of decisions per day, but of course, this can vary depending on the number of choices that one is presented with. If you choose to lie on a beach and read a book then your decisions are limited because you are presented with few choices. 
Decisions can be simple, requiring very little thought, or can be very complex requiring us to draw on many different resources. Decisions are undoubtedly one of the most important aspects of our daily lives. The decisions that we make either satisfy a condition, a choice, or set us on a path towards fulfilling a goal. Decisions can be emotional based, fact based or a combination thereof. Some decisions can only be addressed with an emotion or what people often refer to as a “gut” decision, while other decisions require data to be analyzed. The ability to analyze data can be based on one’s education or knowledge, but it can also be guided by experience. Experience is the X factor in the decision making process. It is the reason why some people can make decisions faster and more effectively than others.
In business, decisions must be data and fact based; there is very little room for emotional based decisions. Experience is often the difference in effective decision making. The difference that experience brings is the ability to see not only the decision at hand, but what is the cause and effect of that decision at a later time.
By Frank Arteaga, Head of Product Marketing, NAFTA Region
Bystronic Inc., Elgin, IL – Voice.bystronic@bystronic.com