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Teenage is one of the most crucial times in everyone’s lives. Teenage decisions can make and shape lives, effects of which are visible only decades later. Teenage is a time when they are testing their boundaries and freedom with all aspects of life. Teenagers are full of energy and vitality. However, there are so many changes on every front that’s it’s hard to constantly grapple with making so many choices and decisions. Decision making is a fine art and while most of it is learnt only through experience, you can certainly have a framework to guide you.

From a controlled home environment where teenager’s future and interests are completely safeguarded, they transition into an independent life where they have to make their own decisions and face the consequences.

Parents and mentors may be around to support, but not always. And there are some mistakes that no one can afford to make. It’s about learning the importance and correct way of making decisions.

We have shared the most important aspects of decision making process that, can be learned through this article buy anyone.

This article can also serve as a small guidebook for everyone to nurture the decision making process, the right way. We have listed a few below:

• Adolescent brain is impulsive and makes decisions based on peer pressure and emotional needs, which may not be always justified. Suppressing thoughts and behaviors that influence impulsive decisions must be controlled.
• Selecting the right mentor for the right situation is important. Apart from parents, it’s important to have right mentors like school and college teachers for education, parents for life decisions, financial consultant for managing finances, etc.
• Controlling the brain’s Reward Center will ensure you make the right decisions based more on logic than mere emotions.
• Risk taking is essential and highly rewarding, but only when risks are managed right.
• Introducing checks and balances mechanism ensures the decisions and plan execution leads to success.

The Decision Making Framework will be as simple as outlined below:

1. Accurate problem identification and definition.
2. Defining the expected outcome or optimal end goal.
3. Brainstorming the possible alternatives or options.
4. Evaluation of alternatives and factoring the risks involved for each.
5. Choose the most viable with the least risk and the best outcome for the efforts.
6. PDCA – Use the Plan-Do-Check-Act routine to check if the
7. Evaluate the final solution to check if the end goal has been achieved or make efforts to correct it.

Apart from the framework, the process must include proper cooperation as listed below for a successful outcome.

1. Present the problem without bias.
2. Record perceptions of everyone involved.
3. Reflect everyone’s understanding of the problem to ensure it is accurately understood.
4. Listen out and factor all possible scenarios and alternatives to the situation.
5. Give everyone enough time (hours or days) to share their perceptions and solutions.
6. Brainstorm about each and evaluate every solution presented.
7. Take mutual agreements from everyone involved at every level of the decision making process.
8. Commonly agree to a decision and roadmap to ensure end goal is reached.

Decision making is crucial, but not difficult. Ensuring the right steps are taken is essential to ensure it’s in the right direction. Also, simply giving a framework will not help as every situation differs. Not every situation is the same, but a following the right process is the correct way. Some of the most life changing decisions are made during teenage years. Having a crystal clear perspective of any situation and a viable solution is not always the case.