Are you a good decision maker? Are you in charge of your life?

by Richard L. Weaver II

When I was in college I had to make a decision that would alter my entire life — whether to change from a pre-med to a speech-communication major. While I was dating my wife, we had to decide whether to continue our relationship or get married. When I was teaching college, I had to decide, at the request of a colleague, whether I wanted to co-write a textbook with her. Decisions, decisions, decisions. Although these were three momentous ones — and the answer in each case was to accept the new option — most decisions are not as weighty.

Every time we turn around, we have to make more decisions. Just as people are different, so are their styles of decision making. Are you a good decision maker? The problem with this question is simply that it is difficult to assess — objectively — your own decision-making ability. There is no doubt that some people find this particular skill easier than others, but the good news is that decision-making is a skill that can be learned by anyone.

Wise decisions are those made using a definite process. Why? First, because they are based on the values and perceptions of the decision-maker. Second, because they take advantage of carefully considered alternatives and options. And three, because they include periodic reassessments of the decision and its effects.

Many people resist the claim that a definite process is essential to wise decision making. They claim, instead, that making decisions simply by intuition is a superior method. They trust their “gut feelings” more than they trust any specific method, model, or process.

There is no doubt about the utility of snap judgments. Students, for example, know from the first few seconds of class whether a teacher is good or not. People size up others and situations from their gut — often, too, with ample emotional intelligence. And, too, emergency situations require instantaneous gut reaction — what to do to avoid a collision or catastrophe, for example. Operating on instinct keeps everything simple and clear.

But there are serious limitations to intuition when practiced without the interference of facts. Snap judgments are hardly infallible. On first impressions, for example, Warren Harding looked like a real president but turned out to be one of the worst ever. The decision to go to war in Iraq was made with no formal meetings to weigh the pros and cons. It felt right at the time. Choosing to take an economics course instead of one in computer science is likely to be based solely on an emotional reaction. But when your core values trump facts, you are likely to lose touch with reality as well as the needs for cautiousness and deliberation.

The opposite of making decisions based on intuition is not gathering huge amounts of information before making laborious decisions based on detailed knowledge and thorough analysis of a subject. That can become paralysis by analysis. Actually, the opposite of making decisions based on intuition involves following a strategy that is less likely to lead to common errors in reasoning. Two common errors involve, first, subconsciously deciding what you want to do before figuring out why you want to do it. The second is the inclination to be more engaged by things you like than by things you dislike.

What guidelines are likely to improve your decision making? What methods are likely to put you in control of your life? The first guideline is to define the problem. Using input from both yourself and others, try to understand the causes that make you think there’s a problem. When, where, how, why, and with whom is it happening? Try to address the issue rather than the people, but the more narrowly the problem can be defined, the more likely it can be approached and resolved. Trying to make a decision, for example, about changing professions is an important one, but if the problem is narrowed to whether or not you want to accept a new job offer, it might be easier to deal with the questions of when, where, how, why, and with whom.

The second guideline is to look at potential causes for the problem. Once you realize how much you don’t know about what you don’t know, you will realize the importance of getting input from other people and gathering as much information as you can. When people make a decision to go on a cruise, it may seem to be an easy one to make based on whether or not they can afford it. But the decision gets more complicated when the cost of transportation to and from the cruise departure point is factored in, the possible need for a new wardrobe and other accessories, and the cost of tipping cruise-ship employees is counted. Missing important family events may even need to be considered.

The third guideline is to identify alternatives for approaches to resolve the problem. When students consider going to college, for example, a major consideration is living arrangements. Brainstorming with others — collecting as many ideas as possible without judging them and then screening them to find the best idea — may include some creative ideas no single person could imagine. Living at home and commuting, dormitories, and apartments are common solutions, but co-ops, living with another family, or even purchasing — along with several others—an inexpensive home or condominium might be alternatives.

The fourth guideline is to select an approach to resolve the problem. Look for long term, realistic, affordable solutions that you have enough time and resources to implement. The fourth guideline flows easily into the fifth, which is to plan the implementation. A key question is, “What will the situation look like when the problem is solved?” Specifically plan the steps that need to be taken to implement the best alternative. What systems or processes need to be changed to accommodate the new policy, procedure, or approach? How will you know if the steps are being followed, and what resources are needed.

The sixth and seventh guidelines include monitoring the implementation of the plan to see if you are getting what you expect. Will the plan be done according to schedule? Is there any need for a change in the plan? Finally, verify if the problem has been resolved or not? What changes should be made to avoid this type of problem in the future? What did you learn from this situation? Was there new knowledge? Understanding? Skills?

Only by making rational decisions will you take charge of your life. The point of having guidelines in place is to avoid making decisions sloppily, by default, or from the gut. Guidelines, too, will help you avoid irrational ideas, false assumptions, fear, needs, and other emotions that block good decision-making.

Finally, having guidelines will reduce the level of stress you will experience when faced with having to make decisions. You don’t ignore your intuition. There is no question that our bodies provide clues to the right decisions through our feelings and gut reactions. But, you aren’t a slave to it; you simply use it to inform, enlighten, and, perhaps, reinforce (add information to) your rational decision-making processes. Good decision making means following a step-by-step pattern.
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At Ezine@rticles.com, Daniel Teayagu has a useful, practical, brief essay entitled, “How to be a good decision maker,” with five specific suggestions or guidelines.

“Becoming a Better Decision Maker,” is an excellent website that suggests that if readers “follow these ten basic steps, you will find yourself making wiser decisions, both in your professional as well as your personal life.” After discussing the ten steps, the site offers “a list of the most common decision-making mistakes. By learning about these pitfalls now, you will be able to avoid them in the future.
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Copyright December, 2009 - And Then Some Publishing L.L.C.