Leading Your Group Practice by Passion-Directed Decision Making
Everyone is born a leader, but not all people become leaders. You are born with the potential for greatness as long as you work to cultivate it. In part of that work, you must develop good decision-making skills.
As a business leader, you have to have the courage to take the initiative to make the best-informed business decisions. You must have sound emotional intelligence and rational decision-making skills in order to make informed decisions, free of confirmation bias or cognitive bias, ensuring you are making the right decisions and ultimately the best decisions for your business.
Below are six principles of leadership business leaders like yourself need to implement in your life so that your business aligns and thrives.
- Personal leadership
- Aligned communication
- Decision making
- More passion, less perfection
- Influence, not control
- Change initiation
In this blog, I discuss two of the six principles of leadership: decision-making and more passion, less perfection, also known as passion-directed decision-making.
Defining Passion-Directed Decision Making for Group Therapy Practice Owners
In psychology, decision-making is defined as the cognitive process resulting in the selection of a belief or a course of action among several possible alternative options.
Are you familiar with the decision-making process?
The decision-making process is a reasoning process based on your own values, preferences, and beliefs. It is a systematic approach used for effective decision-making, producing a final choice and a course of action. Of course, there are different types of decision-making; however, they all rely on a similar step process, which follows.
1. Define the problem or opportunity: The first step in the decision-making process is to identify and clearly define the problem or opportunity that needs to be addressed.
2. Collect relevant information: Once the problem or opportunity is identified, relevant information needs to be gathered about the possible solutions available to address it. This can involve brainstorming or seeking the viewpoints of others to eliminate blind spots or group decision-making.
3. Evaluate your options: Prioritize the information collected; it is important to evaluate the various options available to you. This may involve using a decision-making model to compare the tradeoffs of each option.
4. Make a decision: Once the options are evaluated, a decision can be made and the best course of action can be mapped. This decision should be based on the relevant information gathered and the objectives and goals established.
5. Implement the decision: After a decision is made, it is time to take action. This involves developing a course of action, assigning responsibilities, and allocating resources.
6. Evaluate the results: The final step in the decision-making process is to evaluate the results of the decision. This allows for feedback and learning that can be helpful in future decision-making processes.
Why Passion-Directed Decision-Making is Important for Your Therapy Business
To become a true leader, You need to stop asking yourself for perfection. The truth is that perfection is not available to us. Striving for perfection will drain your energy and the success out of your business. Instead of perfection, seek to do things with passion.
Here are six reasons why it is necessary to consider your passion when making business decisions:
- Passion fuels our drive for learning, improvement, and growth. When someone is passionate about something, they are more likely to put in extra effort and do whatever it takes to achieve their goals.
- Passion creates the desire to be in alignment and alignment fuels momentum, momentum renews passion, and this cycle continues.
- Passion spurs authenticity, which is what people connect to – it’s why people will hire you and want to work for you. Making decisions based on what resonates with your own values helps avoid decision fatigue or feeling unfulfilled or unsatisfied with choices that don’t align with personal beliefs.
- Making decisions based on passion can increase creativity and innovation. Passion-driven people tend to approach problems with a fresh perspective and think outside of traditional norms.
- Decision-making based on passion often leads to greater commitment. When someone feels emotionally invested in their decision, they are less likely to give up or change their mind easily.
- Decisions made based on passion inherently lead to greater fulfillment in life. They result in a life of purpose and meaning, which is essential for happiness and well-being.
Decision-Making in Your Private Therapy Practice
A leader takes responsibility for their own actions and destiny. Be the captain of your own ship, and take steps to develop yourself. No matter the nature of the decision-making, a decision to move forward in your business requires these three essential steps. As leaders, we are constantly:
- Evaluating the next steps
- Seeking possible alternatives
- Problem-solving
Now, I will show you a decision-making technique I use with four parts of decision-making that help to build momentum and ensure alignment.
- Make decisions quickly – Start by brainstorming possible solutions, and then pick one. Choose the solution in alignment with your purpose. Don’t get stuck in a spinning web of indecision. You have the freedom to change your mind later.
- Not polling the outside world – You may choose to collaborate with other business leaders or team members for possible alternatives and additional viewpoints, but the decision is ultimately yours to make.
- Take action – Pick one thing to start your momentum and motivate you to move forward and take inspired action.
- Take massive action – Massive action requires planning, preparation, and speed. Massive action is vital to decision-making. A decision without action is just a wish.
Use Passion-Directed Decision-Making in Your Life
Making passion-directed decisions start with understanding yourself, your emotional intelligence, and your own values. Don’t fret about making the wrong decision. When you are coming from a place of passion, your creator, heart, and mind will guide you. Here are some tips for incorporating passion-directed decision-making into your life:
- Identify your goals – Take time to identify your short-term and long-term goals. Defining these will help you make better decisions.
- Identify your passions – Once you have established your goals, the next step is to identify your passions. Take time to reflect on your own values and identify what sparks your fire, what you are passionate about.
- Define your own values – Spend time defining the values that guide your decisions. Having a clear understanding of your values can help you make decisions in alignment with your passion.
- Make decisions with passion – Make sure you prioritize your passions when making decisions. The best decision aligns with your passions and values.
Leaders initiate change and transformation rather than waiting for others to take the lead. You aren’t looking left or right for someone to do the hard work for you. You are laser-focused on your objective. Don’t question your decision once you’ve made it. Your validation comes from within.
