Decisions--They’re everywhere
7 Steps Toward Better Decisions
As soon as sleep relaxes its hold on our minds, decisions await. (For some of us, we’ve barely slept because we are still trying to decide something.)
Should I roll over?
Get up and exercise?
Pick up the phone?
Pray or meditate?
Begin to think about work?
Play the piano?
Made frequently enough, our choices form pathways in the brain. Those choices become automatic habits. As cognitive misers, this is wonderful in many circumstances. But what of those decisions that have a bigger impact? How can I ensure that my weightier decisions are not simply a habitual response, but the result of well thought out processes?
A poor decision-making process can still produce a good result, due to forces outside my control. A good process may bring about a less than stellar result, again due to things I cannot control. However, a good process helps increase the odds that my decision making will bring better results.
I found a very helpful model for decision making in Joseph O’Connor and Andrea Lages Coaching the Brain . They suggest ways of using our emotions to help make good decisions. I’ve used the streamlined outline below with leaders on several continents. They have found it helpful; I trust you will as well.
It’s a simple process that taps into the most closely held ideals.
Explore Emotions: Different emotions lead to different decisions. Awareness of what you are feeling is important. What has impacted you in the last hour? What is your emotional state like-tired, calm, upset, enthusiastic? Different emotional states often led to vastly different decisions.
Clarify Goals: Imagine a variety of outcomes, time frames, and circumstances that impact the goal. Don’t take your initial response as the best answer but keep clarifying and establish a main goal, along with subordinate ones.
Find Values: Bring to the surface the values that are impacted by the decision you’re facing. (Frequently, simply asking leaders to clarify their values can make a decision easier.) Is one choice more aligned with your values than another?
Resolve Obstacles: Find the difficulties in the situation and highlight complicating factors. Then explore what resources are needed to overcome these obstacles.
Consider Consequences: Lay out the possible paths, and then think through what the consequences are for each one. What would be best- or worst-case scenarios for each path? How likely are these consequences? This can highlight a hidden but unrealistic concern.
Gut Check: With different routes before you, imagine you chose one, and things turned out well. How do you feel about this? Where are you feeling it? Try this with each potential path. This will uncover your emotional balance now, for each outcome. You can imagine things going poorly and explore the same feelings.
Key Question: After following these steps, a wide perspective on the situation will be clearer, as well as a better understanding of the emotions involved. With this background ask, “What would have to be true for my decision to turn out the best way possible”? This will help you find the necessary steps to create a plan of action.
This process helps bring clarity around goals, values, obstacles, emotions, and what needs to be done to give the decision the best possible chance of success.
What decisions are you currently facing? Do you have a decision process that you follow?