Making Effective Decisions
Making Effective Decisions means using evidence, sound judgement, and an understanding of risk to reach timely conclusions. At every grade, assessors want to see that you can weigh options and act decisively.
What assessors look for: Evidence that you gather relevant information, weigh options, consider risks, and make a clear decision — even under pressure or with incomplete information.
What Making Effective Decisions means
Making Effective Decisions means using evidence, sound judgement, and an understanding of risk to reach timely conclusions. At every grade, assessors want to see that you can weigh options and act decisively. This behaviour is one of the nine assessed under the Civil Service Success Profiles framework. Most departments ask for 250 words per behaviour at AA–HEO level, and 500–750 words at SEO and above.
The Civil Service defines Making Effective Decisions as a core behaviour that assessors evaluate at both sift and interview stages. The exact wording of the framework may vary slightly by department — always check the job advert for the specific wording used.
Example statement
Below is a 250-word example for Making Effective Decisions. Every example on this site is original, word-count accurate, and includes a STAR breakdown.
[S] During a busy Saturday shift, two of my six checkout staff called in sick unexpectedly, leaving us with a growing queue and a scheduled delivery due in 30 minutes.
[T] I needed to decide how to maintain customer service levels while ensuring the delivery could be received safely.
[A] I quickly assessed the queue length and estimated wait times. I decided to close one self-checkout lane and redeploy that colleague to the main tills, which would clear the queue faster. I also called the delivery driver to confirm a 15-minute delay was acceptable, and arranged for a stockroom colleague to cover the delivery. I communicated the plan to the remaining team, emphasising that customer service was the priority.
[R] The queue cleared within 20 minutes. The delivery was received without incident. Customer satisfaction scores for that shift remained at 92%, the same as our weekly average. My manager later used the incident as a case study in team briefings.
- Shows the decision-making process: assessment of situation, weighing options, then action.
- Demonstrates consideration of multiple stakeholders (customers, delivery driver, team).
- Uses a number to show the decision worked (92% satisfaction maintained).
- Shows the decision was proportionate and timely, not delayed by over-analysis.
- Describing a decision that was made for you by a manager rather than one you made yourself.
- Focusing on the outcome without explaining the reasoning that led to the decision.
- Using the word "decided" without showing what alternatives you considered.
Plagiarism note: This example is for inspiration only. Adapt it to your own experience. Assessors can spot generic or copied statements, and they score poorly.
Examples by grade
Each grade requires a different level of complexity. Click your grade to see a tailored example.
Focus on following procedures, supporting team goals, and showing awareness of wider context.
EOShow initiative within your role and understanding of how your work supports the team.
HEODemonstrate broader awareness, stakeholder engagement, and proactive problem-solving.
SEOShow strategic thinking, cross-team influence, and management of wider priorities.
Grade 7Demonstrate senior-level strategic oversight, policy awareness, and organisational impact.
Grade 6Show director-level strategic leadership, cross-departmental influence, and systemic change.
How to write a Making Effective Decisions statement
Follow these steps to write a strong statement. For a full guide, see how to write behaviour statements.
- Pick one specific example. Choose a real situation from your work, volunteering, or education. One well-told example beats three vague ones.
- Write the Situation in two sentences. Set the scene quickly. Assessors do not need every detail — just enough to understand the context.
- State the Task in one sentence. What did you need to achieve? Be specific about your responsibility.
- Spend 60% of your words on Action. This is where you show what you did, not what the team did. Use "I" not "we".
- End with a clear Result. Include a number if you can. What changed? What was the outcome?
Write long, then cut. First drafts of 350 words usually contain a strong 250. Focus on cutting adjectives and filler phrases like "I felt it was important to" — they add words without adding meaning.
Interview questions
At interview, you may be asked follow-up questions about your behaviour statement. Prepare for questions like:
- "Tell me about a time when you demonstrated making effective decisions."
- "What would you do differently if you faced that situation again?"
- "How did you ensure your approach was the right one?"
See the full interview question bank for Making Effective Decisions.
Frequently asked questions
Most departments ask for 250 words per behaviour at AA–HEO level. SEO and above may allow 500 or 750 words. Always check the job advert — the limit varies, and on Civil Service Jobs it is sometimes a word limit and sometimes a character limit.
Yes, but you must rewrite the example to focus on the specific behaviour being assessed. The same project could show Leadership (how you directed the team) and Working Together (how you collaborated with stakeholders), but the emphasis and wording must be different for each.
You do not need a dramatic story. A well-told ordinary example — Shift supervisor who had to decide whether to close a checkout lane during a staffing shortage. — scores better than an extraordinary one told badly. Assessors look for clarity and evidence, not grandeur.