![]() ![]() Distributed by The New York Times Syndicate. But if we’re aware of these six enemies of good decision-making and take steps to outmaneuver them, we can make better decisions that have a positive impact on the people we work with and lead.Ĭopyright 2019 Harvard Business School Publishing Corp. Inevitably, we all make some poor decisions every day. Review the pertinent information you need, set a deadline to make a decision and then stick to it. And the more information we have to consider, the longer we typically take to make a decision. Practice walking away from the computer or putting the phone down, and return to the task at hand when you’re able to think more clearly and calmly.ĪNALYSIS PARALYSIS: Today there’s no end to the amount of information we can access. Conversely, even the best decision may be overwhelmed by events over which the decision maker has no control, resulting in an undesirable outcome. Resist the temptation to respond to people or make decisions while you’re emotionally keyed up. Redundancies in the system can 'save' a poor decision. ![]() When you need to make important decisions, carve out and commit to several blocks of time during the day to focus deeply on the task at hand.ĮMOTIONS: You probably don’t need to see the research to know that our emotions, especially during moments of peak anger and happiness, can hinder our ability to make good decisions. MULTITASKING: Research shows that performance, including decision-making effectiveness, suffers by up to 40% when we focus on two cognitive tasks at the same time. Send out a meeting agenda 24 hours in advance to give everyone time to think about their contributions, and work to set a meeting culture that allows people to contribute their ideas after the meeting is over. LACK OF INPUT: The Kellogg School recently found that in a typical meeting, an average of three people do 70% of the talking. Find time each day to unplug and step back from email, social media and news. Many of us live in a continuous state of distraction and struggle to focus. ![]() Identify the most important decisions you need to make, and, as often as possible, prioritize your time so that you make them when your energy levels are highest.Ī STEADY STATE OF DISTRACTION: Researchers estimate that our brains process five times as much information today as in 1986. One of the most famous studies on this topic showed that prisoners are more likely to have parole approved in the morning than when their cases are heard in the afternoon. When you have to make an important decision, be on the lookout for:ĭECISION FATIGUE: Our ability to perform mental tasks and make decisions wears thin when it’s repeatedly exerted. Consistently making good decisions is arguably the most important habit we can develop, especially at work.īased on my experiences from three deployments as an Army officer and from researching my book, “Lead Yourself First,” I’ve found certain mindsets to be detrimental to good decision-making. But many of them require real thought and have serious consequences. Most are minor - what to wear to work in the morning, whether to eat lunch now or in 10 minutes. There are online groups where you can connect with others who may have similar experiences.The typical person makes about 2,000 decisions every waking hour. But try to give yourself enough time, so you don’t feel rushed. If you’re deciding on a big decision, like a new purchase or career change, create a deadline for your final decision and stick to it. Expressing your emotions throughout the process in a journal may help you reflect on the process later and see what worked and how you can improve it. This may help you see the decision at different angles. Consider making a list of the positives and the negatives surrounding the decision. Sometimes talking the decision through with someone you trust can give you another opinion or perspective. Talk with trusted friends or loved ones.Recent research shows that focusing on what you’ve gotten right can help improve your judgement, so you feel comfortable making good decisions moving forward. When you feel as if you’ll make the wrong choice (or one you’ll regret later), consider reflecting on times you’ve made the right decision in the past. Consider eliminating the options by prepping your meals or choosing your wardrobe for the week. This can help with those day-to-day decisions, like what you’ll eat for lunch or wear to work. If there are multiple steps to the decision, creating a checklist can help you keep track of what’s been done and what’s left to do. This can help make the decision feel less daunting and more doable. Determine your starting point, then think about each step along the way. Rather than looking at the decision as a whole, try to break it up into smaller steps. Break big decisions down to smaller ones.While it can feel impossible at times, there are ways you can manage your indecisiveness. Tips on how to make decision making easier ![]()
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