Weighing Pros and Cons

Weighing Pros and Cons                                          

Follow this link for a worksheet

(Best viewed with the Excel app, or on a computer)

Clarifying how you are feeling about your role is extremely important. Taking time to review those things which have weight in your life, is critical in understanding your priorities and those things which motivate you, either positively or negatively. The above worksheet will help you.

How to use this worksheet: 1) List those items which are “Pros” for you, related to your personal question. For example, you may be asking the question: “Is my job a good fit for me?” You would then answer according to your job experience. A “Pro” may be- “Salary is good.” Continue listing your “Pros.” 2) List those items which are “Cons” for you. Following the example above, list out challenges regarding your job. For example- “I feel no sense of community.”

After you list the Pros and Cons, THEN, fill out the weight for each of the items you have listed, on a scale of 1-10. For example, your Pro regarding salary, is important and may score a high of 10. The Con you have may be very important also, and may score a high of 10. Comparing from Pro to Con is not recommended. Just score them and return to them later.

Once the worksheet is complete, and your scores are in place, tally your scores and compare the totals of Pros and Cons. If your Pros outweigh your Cons, great! You now have some things to work on in your Cons list. Your next step is to look at thee individually and see how you can impact them, ultimately decreasing the challenge they present. If your Cons outweigh your Pros, you may need to consider making a bigger change. At the very minimum, emphasize making the Cons less prominent. See the example below:

Pros                                                                                                                                                    Description Weight (1-10)

Salary	8
Benefits	6
Friends at work	8
Work from home half time	9
Your Summative Total	31

Cons                                                                                                                                                   Description Weight (1-10)

Supervisor is out for self-promotion	10
Gossip is constant	10
Mostly alone at work, little collaboration, especially with all the gossip	8
Work culture is negative	9
Commute	8
Your Summative Total	47

Pros = 31

Cons = 47

In this instance… your Cons outweigh your Pros, you may need to consider making a bigger change. At the very minimum, emphasize making the Cons less prominent.