One of the problems of decision-making is which style of leadership to adopt. You can be autocratic, meaning you take control of the decision, or democratic, where you ask for the opinion of others and come up with a common solution. Yet if you rely too much on one or the other style, you will compromise yourself in the eyes of others, of being either too controlling or too lax. The Vroom-Yetton-Jago Decision Model analyzes the different aspects of the problem in order to find the most effective method of the two styles based on the context and the situation.
The Kepner-Tregoe Matrix can be used for any types of decisions and helps you come up with the "best possible" choice under the circumstances. You explore the pros and cons of the situation, assess and analyze the risks and benefits and do not merely rely on "gut instincts," which can be fallible or irrational.
Some decision-making tools, such as the OODA Loops, compare making decisions to the art of war. War serves as a figurative means to think about other competitors who are aiming for the same objectives as you. In this model, you need to "observe" and collect information and sources, "orient" yourself by analyzing this information, "decide" by determining a course of action, and finally, "act" by following through with your decision.
Six Thinking Hats is Edward de Bono's parallel thinking method for solving problems. They are distinguished by different colors and represent different mental functions and roles. For example, the white hat stands for "just the facts," the yellow hat symbolizes brightness and optimism, the black hat stands for judgment, including playing the devil's advocate, the red hat for feelings and intuition, the green hat for creativity and new ideas, and the blue hat for managing the whole thinking process, ensuring that all the steps of parallel thinking are observed and followed through.