One of the things about really effective managers and leaders is that they have to be able to make good decisions. However, decision making is not always a simple process. There are invariably many uncertainties, pressures and risks to be assessed and the effective leader and manager has to establish a robust process for ensuring that the decisions she or he makes are sound. One of the key issues in decision making is to address the issue of uncertainty.

Firstly we have to identify the objective of the decision. What are we trying to achieve? What are the important issues in terms of how we go about sorting out the situation and in the outcomes we ultimately create? How will we know if our decision has been successful?

Secondly, we need to create an environment in which decisions can be made effectively, involving all those individuals who will be affected by the decision. The old world of 'command and control' is acceptable for many crisis situations but does not tend to produce long term 'hearts and minds' commitment. A decision-friendly environment where people can offer their ideas freely is important to gain high levels of commitment.

Thirdly we need to understand clearly the full range of issues involved in the decision we have to make and how these issues will be affected by the decision. You cannot make a good decision unless you frame the problem properly.

Number four is that we have to generate alternatives. In the absence of alternatives there can be no genuine decision as the outcome will be predetermined. It is important to create an atmosphere where brainstorming and other creative techniques can be used to create a broader approach to thinking about the issues involved and create as many alternatives as possible.

Evaluating the alternatives is number five on our checklist and at this stage it is important to consider risk, financial implications and the extent to which each possible solution adheres to the values of the organization.

Number six on our list is to choose the best solution or alternative that meets our criteria of level of risk, financial implications and whether the decision fits in with the espoused or spoken values of the organization. Decision making can be made a lot easier by including other people and talking around issues on the basis of risk, financial implications and how the proposed decision meets what people in the organization say is important.

One of the major decisions we all have to make is about career and our financial future. To that end, many people feel it is important that we are not exposed to just one source of income but that we establish various revenue streams on a personal level to cope with every increasing changes we all experience in our professional and work lives. Some people buy property, others act as consultants and an increasing number are looking to the incredible opportunity offered by the internet as a way of creating personal financial security.