I’m fascinated by decisions. Why do we make the decisions we do? How do we go about making those decisions? The more I think about it the more fascinated I have become.
All the way back in Vol. 002 I shared 5 important points to consider when making sound decisions with you and I’m here again in Vol. 014 with 5 more because I’m nice like that.
Sure, some of these points may be simple and obvious but that’s what I’m aiming for, simple and obvious. Remembering complex and obscure points is not easy in the moment of a tough decision.
My hope is that the next time you have a difficult decision to make, rather than going around in circles with indecisiveness, you would find at least 1 of these 5 points to be helpful.
1. Timing
The timing of a decision can be just as important as the decision itself.
Just like a well-timed punchline in a joke, the timing of a decision can make all the difference.
It’s like trying to catch a train—you need to be at the right place, at the right time, with your ticket in hand.
So, before making that life-altering choice, take a moment to consider if it’s the right time.
To help with timing try the OODA Loop (Observe, Orient, Decide, Act). It’s like dancing the decision tango:
- Observe the situation
- Orient yourself to the possibilities
- Decide your move, and then
- Act with finesse
Timing is everything in this intricate dance of decision-making.
Imagine you’re considering whether to take up an internship opportunity during your summer holidays.
Applying the OODA Loop:
- you observe the workload
- orient yourself to the potential benefits and drawbacks
- decide if you can manage both internship and enjoying the warmer weather effectively, and then
- act by either submitting your application before the deadline or putting up your feet and resting
“The right thing at the wrong time is the wrong thing.”
Joshua Harris
2. Bias
Recognising and overcoming biases is crucial for making sound decisions.
They are like sneaky little gremlins hiding in the depths of our minds.
Our inherent biases can cloud our judgment and lead to suboptimal choices. It’s essential to cultivate self-awareness and strive for objectivity.
In Vol. 004 I explored 4 decision-making biases and looked into gaining a better understanding of them so that we could overcome them.
To help with managing your biases, try using the RED Model (Recognise, Evaluate, Decide)—the Sherlock Holmes of decision-making:
- Recognize your biases
- Evaluate their impact on your choices
- Decide with clarity
It’s like giving those sneaky gremlins a firm ‘No’ and choosing the path that leads to better outcomes.
Suppose you’re a hiring manager reviewing job applications.
Applying the RED Model:
- you recognise your bias towards candidates from prestigious universities
- evaluate its potential impact on your decision, and
- decide to consider candidates from diverse educational backgrounds that actually might be better suited based on their experience to ensure a fair selection process
“To understand error in judgment,
Daniel Kahneman
we must understand both bias and noise.”
3. Consultation
When faced with a dilemma, don’t be afraid to seek advice from trusted sources and experts.
Consultation allows you to tap into collective wisdom, gain diverse perspectives, and challenge your assumptions.
As long as you’re asking people who won’t just say ‘yes’ or agree with you easily.
Seek input from others and let their insights shine a light on your path.
Chances are someone you know has experienced the challenging decision you need to make before, reach out to them, connect and consult them.
Have you tried the ‘5 Whys Technique’ before? It’s the relentlessly curious toddler in your decision-making toolkit and is super simple.
Ask ‘why’ multiple times until you uncover the root cause of your problem.
Choosing a New Career Path:
1. Why am I considering a new career path?
Because I am not satisfied and fulfilled in my current job.
2. Why am I not satisfied and fulfilled in my current job?
Because the work doesn’t align with my skills and passions.
3. Why doesn’t the work align with my skills and passions?
Because I didn’t have a clear understanding of my strengths and interests when I chose this career.
4. Why didn’t I have a clear understanding of my strengths and interests?
Because I didn’t spend enough time exploring different options and self-reflecting on my goals.
5. Why didn’t I spend enough time exploring different options and reflecting on my goals?
Because I hadn’t decided on my core values to be able to set goals that aligned with who I wanted to be.
“Consultation is a good thing when people agree with you, and a waste of time when people don’t agree with you.”
Ken Livingstone
4. Flexibility
Life is full of surprises, isn’t that wonderful and terrible all at the same time?
Just when you think you’ve made the perfect choice, you get thrown a curveball or punched in the face.
In a rapidly changing world, decisions need to be adaptable. Embracing flexibility allows you to respond to new information, unexpected challenges, or evolving circumstances.
But it’s important to know when to be flexible and when to be rigid.
A decision-making framework that you can use to help you with your flexibility is the SCAMPER technique. It’s an inventive framework to spark creativity and flexibility.
It stands for Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify, Put to another use, Eliminate, and Reverse.
It’s like having a Swiss Army knife for decision-making, allowing you to explore alternative possibilities and adjust your approach accordingly.
Think about an upcoming project that you need to work on, and now imagine a key requirement changes what needs to be delivered.
- Substitute: What process or part of the plan needs to be substituted?
- Combine: What can be combined to make things more efficient?
- Adapt: What can be adapted that will be ‘good enough’?
- Modify: What can be changed to have a better outcome?
- Put to another use: What can be used to satisfy the new requirement?
- Eliminate: What can you remove that is no longer needed?
- Reverse: What would happen if you reversed this process or sequenced things differently?
“It is not the strongest or the most intelligent who will survive but those who can best manage change.”
Charles Darwin
5. Implementation
Ah, the grand finale of decision-making—the moment of truth when plans meet action.
It’s like cooking a delicious meal. You can have the best recipe in the world, but if you don’t execute it properly, it’s just a recipe gathering dust.
So, let’s roll up our sleeves and get cooking!
To make better decisions we need to have a bias towards action rather than being indecisive and doing nothing.
Not taking action doesn’t make you feel bad right away, but it can lead to feeling disappointed in the long run and constantly wondering what could have happened if you had acted.
What action can you take today that will stop your list of regrets from growing?
“A good plan implemented today is better than a perfect plan implemented tomorrow.”
George S. Patton
By considering these important points while making the examples your own, you’ll be able to navigate the decision-making maze like a pro.
Remember, timing, bias awareness, seeking consultation, flexibility, and effective implementation are the secret ingredients to making sound decisions.
Which one is most important to you?
Enjoy the rest of your Wednesday, and I’ll see you next week.
Ty
P.S. Say hey on Twitter and if you have a moment I would love your feedback on this volume, you can leave a comment here.
Hi Ty,
This was a very enjoyable read. One question though, early on in the blog, you were talking about timings around decision making and the critical nature of acting when the timing is right – yet, the impression I get from the George Patton quote is that we should be making a decision sooner rather than waiting and thinking over it. Are these a slight contradiction or is the Patton quote a response that comes after you have decided that the timing is right?
Thanks again,
Pete
Pete, thank you for reading.
Yeah, timing is so important – so deciding whether to wait to gather more information or deciding that you have enough to act on is what takes time and experience, I’m still learning how to decide this.
Time is also relative but having a bias towards making decisions and acting on them is more important than making the perfect decision.
I really like the Patton quote as it encourages the procrastinator in me to make a move. To answer your question it’s the second part, a response that comes after you have decided that the timing is right.