15
STAR questions
6
Dimensions evaluated
8 min
Reading time
Critical
Business impact
Why Evaluate Decision-Making?
Decision-making ability directly affects business outcomes. Strong decision-makers decide confidently with incomplete information, balance speed and thoroughness, consider stakeholder impact, learn from outcomes and communicate decisions clearly. Indecisiveness or poor judgment creates cascading problems.
15 Behavioural STAR Questions
15 Behavioural STAR Questions — Decision-Making
| Question | Capability Evaluated | Expected Answer |
|---|---|---|
| Describe an important decision you made autonomously. | Ownership | Context, analysis, decision, justification, result |
| Your decision contradicted your manager's preference? | Courage | Analysis-based, respectfully presented, professional alignment |
| Decision made with limited information? | Judgment | Explicit assumptions, risk assessment, fallback plan |
| Quickly decide in an urgent situation? | Speed | Rapid analysis, clear decision, communication, follow-up |
| Gather input before a major decision? | Stakeholder consideration | Who to consult, how to synthesise, final accountability |
| Decision turned out badly. What happened? | Learning | Root cause, personal responsibility, prevention |
| Overthinked a decision? What did you learn? | Bias awareness | Recognises analysis paralysis, adjusted approach |
| Difficult choice between two good options? | Trade-off management | Criteria weighed, values reflected, owned decision |
| Escalate a decision vs decide yourself? | Judgment of complexity | Clear criteria for escalation, respect of authority |
| Implement an unpopular decision? | Communication | Explained rationale, addressed concerns, showed commitment |
| Change a decision based on new information? | Adaptability | Recognised limitations, evaluated new data, adjusted |
| Decision impacting others. Your process? | Empathy | Understood impact, communicated impact, supported transition |
| Define what you need to know before deciding? | Information gathering | Relevant data identified, appropriate depth |
| Make recurring decisions efficiently? | Systematisation | Criteria established, delegation, review mechanism |
| Your decision-making style? | Self-awareness | Specific examples showing stated approach |
- 1
Focus on process not outcome
Good process with bad outcome beats bad process with good outcome by chance. Evaluate the thinking.
- 2
Test real decision-making
Real stakes reveal true decision-making. Easy situations show little.
- 3
Explore emotional dimension
How do emotions influence decisions? Self-awareness here reveals maturity.
- 4
Propose a scenario
30-minute case: 'You must decide on X with these constraints. What do you do?' Watch thinking aloud.
Positive signals vs warning signs
Avantages
- Clear decision-making process explained
- Comfortable with ambiguity and limited data
- Considers multiple perspectives
- Owns decisions and outcomes
- Learns from poor decisions
Inconvénients
- Paralysed by need for perfect information
- Blames others for decision outcomes
- Cannot explain decision reasoning
- Impulsive without analysis
- Avoids decisions or delays excessively
Frequently asked questions
Can decision-making be taught?
Yes. Frameworks and processes can be learned. Experience and reflection accelerate development.
Decision-making style differences?
Analytical, intuitive, collaborative styles exist. Each has value in different contexts. Seek adaptability.
How to distinguish decisive from reckless?
Decisive: considers risks, owns outcomes, learns. Reckless: ignores information, blames, repeats mistakes.
Evaluate in technical roles?
Yes, even technical roles require decisions on priorities, approaches, trade-offs. Critical.
Women vs men in decision-making?
Research shows more similarity than difference. Avoid stereotypes. Evaluate individual approach.
Recruit decisive leaders with Aurélia
Identify candidates who decide confidently and own their choices.