5 Steps to Overcome the Fear of the Unknown

By Howie Fenton, Rochester Software Assoicates: Have you heard of “decision making hesitation”? It refers to the tendency to delay or avoid making a decision, even when all necessary information is known. This can be caused by a variety of factors, such as fear of making the wrong decision, lack of confidence in one’s abilities, uncertainty about the outcome of different choices, or the desire to gather more information before committing to a course of action. This was widespread during the pandemic, but recent articles report that this still impacts management and staff, resulting in poor or delayed decisions. With the faster pace of change, no one can afford to make poor or delayed decisions. In this blog, we describe the signs of decision hesitation and the 5 steps to overcome the fear of the unknown.

Signs of Decision-Making Hesitation and the Impact

Decision-making hesitation can impact four key areas: decision-making, strategic planning, risk-taking, and employee morale. Fear of the unknown makes it challenging to make decisions, particularly in uncertain or rapidly changing environments. This fear can lead to indecision or hesitation, which can have negative impacts on your ability to respond to new challenges, such as customers demanding faster turnaround or less expensive products. It can also slow the growth of new products or services such as promotional products, insourcing, and large format printing.