decision making

How to Make Decisions Stick and Avoid Project Disruption

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Indecision

Does this scenario sound familiar?

You and your coworkers get assigned to a new project. You meet, discuss what needs to be done, and make a series of decisions about how the final product should look and function. Everyone is satisfied and gets to work. Time passes. And then – just when everything seems to be going smoothly – someone questions one or more of the decisions that were originally made. Work screeches to a halt. Tense meetings are held. And if the original decisions end up getting reversed, a lot of your time and energy has been lost.

I know I’ve experienced this before. And there’s nothing more frustrating. Sometimes, when miscalculations are made, it actually is necessary to revise early decisions. But in other cases, the early decisions were good – but people want to change them anyway.

So why do people insist or revisiting and revising good decisions? Here are three common causes and what you can do to prevent it from happening.

People claim they were never asked about the decision.
This might be true, or it might not. Perhaps they weren’t consulted because they really didn’t need to be involved. Or perhaps they were consulted, but simply forgot. Either way, it’s a difficult situation to deal with.

How to prevent it.
Make sure that all necessary people are included in the decision-making process. And make sure that everyone understands what their roles and responsibilities on the project are. Everyone should be able to voice their opinions – but everyone should also know who is responsible for making final decisions.

 

People are quiet during the decision-making process, but then speak up later.
Perhaps these people didn’t feel confident about their opinions. So they took their time, consulted with coworkers, and THEN arrived at a decision late in the process. It’s understandable, but very disruptive.

How to prevent it.
Establish the rule, “silence means acceptance,” and make sure that everyone is aware of it. So if people don’t share their opinions during the decision-making process, that means they’re in agreement.

 

People change their minds.
They might have felt one way about something (and they might have agreed to it), but they simply change their minds.

How to prevent it.
Ask them to consider the costs associate with making the change. Ask them to consider how this change will alter the project timeline and deadlines. If recently discovered information requires the change to be made, then so be it. But if it’s simply a matter of personal taste, hopefully reviewing the costs associated with the change will make them reconsider.

 

Galford, R. M., Frisch, B., & Greene, C. (2016, February, 25). Why decisions get second-guessed, and what to do about it. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved from: https://hbr.org/2016/02/why-decisions-get-second-guessed-and-what-to-do-about-it

 

The Link Between Decision Making and Happiness

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Making_A_Decision

How do you make big decisions? Do you do a lot of research, make lists of pros and cons, and spend hours pondering your options before finally making a choice? Or do you tend to be a little more spontaneous and trust your instincts?

According to psychologists, there are two types of people in the world: maximizers and satisficers.

  • Maximizers spend a lot of time and effort trying to make the “best” decision. They search for expert information, get advice from others, and really work to make a reasoned, logical choice.
  • Satisficers (a combination of the words “satisfy” and “suffice”) don’t put that much effort into their decisions. If a certain choice will satisfy their needs, they generally don’t feel the need to do much research or consider other options. They’ll just go with it.

Both approaches are certainly fine. Research indicates that maximizers and satisficers both make good decisions. But interestingly, psychologists have found that one group tends to be happier than the other.

Maximizers are not as happy as satisficers. Even after putting all that effort into making good decisions, maximizers will continue to second-guess themselves, and they’ll often feel bad about the choices they’ve made. In contrast, satisficers tend to be more content. They don’t question their decisions as much and they feel good about their choices.

I must admit that I’m a maximizer. I always do a lot of research and soul-searching before reaching a decision. And yes, I do second-guess myself afterwards. But if you’re a maximizer like me, don’t despair! Apparently, there’s hope for us! Researchers have found that as maximizers get older, they start to develop the qualities of a satisficer. They might still do a lot of research before making a decision, but they stop agonizing over choosing the perfect option and second-guessing their choices. They start to feel more content with things that may not be perfect, but are pretty darned good.

So what about you? Are you a maximizer or a satisficer? And do you think your decision-making style affects your happiness? Share your thoughts in the Comments section below!

 

Bernstein, E. (2014, October 7). Decide to be happy. The Wall Street Journal, pp. D1, D2.

Schwarz, B. (2004). The paradox of choice: Why more is less. New York, NY: Harper Perennial.

 

Making Decisions

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Decision

Life is full of decisions. We make hundreds of decisions every day. Most of these decisions are minor and barely require any thought. We decide when to get up in the morning, what clothes to wear, what to eat for lunch, and what groceries to buy. But occasionally, we need to make major decisions that have far-reaching consequences. That’s why the ability to make smart, rational decisions is so important.

When you need to make an important decision, using a basic, five-step decision-making process can be really helpful. It can help you tackle important decisions in a logical, reasonable fashion.

The five steps are as follows:

  • Step 1 – Clearly state the decision.
    You need to make sure that you understand the decision to be made. Ask yourself… “What do I need to decide?” “Why is this decision necessary?” “What am I trying to accomplish?”
  • Step 2 – Determine your options and gather information.
    You need to figure out what your options are. This can sometimes take a lot of thought and creativity! With some decisions, you might find that you only have two options: either you take a certain course of action or you don’t. But with other decisions, you might find that you have a lot of different options. For instance, let’s say that you were trying to decide where to go on vacation. After thinking about it and reading a few different guidebooks, you might find that you have five different locations to choose from. Once you determine your options, you need to gather information about those options. This might require you to do a little research. You could read a book or magazine article, do a search on the internet, or talk to people whom you consider to be knowledgeable. To make a good decision, you need to be well informed.
  • Step 3 – Weigh your options.
    Now you need to carefully consider the advantages and disadvantages of each option. This step will help you to pull together the information that you gathered in step two and organize your thoughts.
  • Step 4 – Make your decision.
    This is the challenging part! You need to choose one of your options.
  • Step 5 – Evaluate your decision.
    You can learn a lot from looking back on the decisions that you’ve made and examining the consequences of those decisions. Ask yourself… “Did I make a good decision?” “Did things turn out the way I expected them to?” “Should I have made a different choice?” “Why or why not?” You can become a better decision maker by recognizing your areas of weakness and making improvements.

Using a decision-making process can be time consuming. And it definitely takes effort! But it can help you to organize your thoughts and evaluate your options. Ultimately, it can help you to make better, more logical decisions.

How to Stop Overthinking Things at Work

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Overthinking

There’s nothing more draining than constantly overthinking things at work. What is overthinking? It’s when you think about something too much. It’s when you question yourself (and doubt yourself) about every step you make. It’s when you worry about every detail, and find yourself unable to make basic decisions.

Overthinking things causes so much stress. And it keeps you from moving forward and making progress. It’s hard to get things done when you’re constantly questioning whether you’re doing things right or taking the correct steps.

So how can you avoid overthinking things at work? Author Melody Wilding has a few suggestions:

  • Try not to be a perfectionist – It’s great that you take pride in your work and want to do a good job. But in many cases (especially when working on team projects in which you don’t have full control over the end product), it’s simply not possible to be perfect. So being a perfectionist can be incredibly stressful and make you agonize over every decision you make. If you believe every single thing that you do must be perfect, it can be very hard to make any progress. To avoid this problem, try to remind yourself that you don’t need to be perfect – you simply need to do your best. And your best work is something to be proud of. In addition, try not to look too far into the future (and worry about the end product). Just focus on completing the small tasks that will eventually get you to your goal.
  • Don’t stress about the small stuff – Not every project is essential and important. Not every thing that you do will have a “make or break” effect on your career. Most of the tasks that you complete during your workday are probably pretty routine, and most of your decisions probably won’t have a huge impact on people. So try not to worry too much about the small stuff. Minor tasks and decisions are not worth that much stress or energy.
  • Trust your intuition – If you’re conflicted about what to do on a project, it’s a good idea to gather whatever information you can, assess what you’ve learned, and then make your decision. But when you have to act quickly and you don’t have a lot of data, intuition is a very effective tool. In these instances, your intuition can guide you in the right direction. You should trust in it.
  • Decrease the number of decisions that you have to make – Lighten your load (and stress level) by decreasing the number of decisions that you have to make during the day. Create daily routines to follow so you no longer have to waste energy deciding what to wear, what to eat, when to take breaks, etc. The fewer decisions you have to make, the more time and energy you’ll have to devote to your more important work.
  • Give yourself some deadlines – A good way to force yourself to stop overthinking things, take action, and move forward is to give yourself an arbitrary deadline. Tell yourself that you’re going to complete a certain project in a week (even if it’s not due for three weeks). That will force you to push forward, and will give you less time to stress about every decision you make.

…

Wilding, M. (2021, February 10). How to stop overthinking everything. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved from: https://hbr.org/2021/02/how-to-stop-overthinking-everything

What Kind of Decision Maker Are You?

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DecisionMaker

We’re all experienced decision makers. We make hundreds of decisions a day, often without really thinking about it. But in reality, the decision-making process is complex, and many different factors influence the decisions we make. Our family, our values and emotions, advertising, and societal pressure can all influence our choices.

Another factor that can influence the way we make decisions is habit. We tend to make decisions in a certain way. It’s called our “decision-making style.” Take this questionnaire to discover your own decision-making style.

(This questionnaire is an adaptation of the General Decision Making Style questionnaire developed by Scott and Bruce, 1995)

 

DIRECTIONS

Rate each statement as a 1, 2, or 3:
1 = This statement is false.
2 = This statement is sometimes true. It depends on the situation.
3 = This statement is true.

 

  1. I make sure that I have all the facts before I make a decision.
  2. When I make a decision, I do what feels right.
  3. I often ask other people to help me make important decisions.
  4. I don’t like making decisions, so I try to avoid it.
  5. I make decisions quickly.
  6. I make decisions in a slow, logical way.
  7. When I make a decision, I rely on my instincts.
  8. I don’t make big decisions without talking to other people first.
  9. I usually won’t make an important decision until I’m forced to do so.
  10. I don’t think too much about the decisions that I make.
  11. Making decisions requires careful thought.
  12. A decision doesn’t need to make sense – it just needs to feel right.
  13. When I need to make an important decision, I like to have someone point me in the right direction.
  14. I try to put off making important decisions because thinking about them makes me feel uneasy.
  15. When I need to make an important decision, I just do what seems natural at the moment.
  16. I consider all of my options before making a decision.
  17. I rely on my inner feelings when making decisions.
  18. When I make a decision, I rely on other people’s advice.
  19. I usually make important decisions at the last minute.
  20. I often make impulsive decisions.

 

SCORING

Within each box, indicate the number (1, 2, or 3) that you assigned to the statements on the questionnaire. Then add those numbers up to get a total.

ScoreCard

 

RESULTS­­

Take a look at your total scores.

  • If A is your highest number, you’re systematic.
  • If B is your highest number, you’re intuitive.
  • If C is your highest number, you’re dependent.
  • If D is your highest number, you’re avoidant.
  • If E is your highest number, you’re spontaneous.
  • If you have equally high scores in more than one area, it means that you regularly use more than one decision-making style.

A – Systematic
You make decisions slowly and carefully. You make sure that you have all the facts before you proceed. You carefully consider all of your options in order to make the best choice.

B – Intuitive
When you need to make a decision, you tend to rely on your feelings. You make decisions based on “hunches” and instinct. You do what feels right at the moment.

C – Dependent
You find it hard to make decisions without other people’s support. When you need to make an important decision, you ask other people for advice and direction. You’re uncomfortable making decisions alone.

D – Avoidant
You don’t like making important decisions. They make you feel uneasy and uncomfortable. So you try to avoid making decisions as much as possible. You only make important decisions when you’re pressured to do so.

E – Spontaneous
You make important decisions quickly and easily. You’re often impulsive. You don’t spend much time thinking or worrying about your decisions. You just make a choice and see what happens.

 

One style isn’t better than another. They each have their strengths and weaknesses, and they each work well in different situations.

  • For instance, the systematic approach would work well if you have a big decision to make and a lot of time to make it.
  • In an emergency situation, it might be better to be intuitive or spontaneous.
  • If you don’t know much about a certain decision that you need to make, it might be good to be dependent and rely on the opinions of others.
  • And sometimes it might be best to avoid making a decision altogether.

It’s OK to favor one of these styles more than the others. But if you rely exclusively on one decision-making style, you could end up making some bad decisions. For instance, it’s fine to be spontaneous sometimes – but it’s not the best way to go about making a major life decision. And it’s fine to avoid decisions now and then, but you’re going to run into problems if you avoid them all. Skilled decision-makers are able to use more than one style. They’re able to be flexible, and use the style that best fits the situation.

 

Scott, S. G. & Bruce, R. A. (1995). Decision-making style: The development and assessment of a new measure. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 55(5), 818–831.

Decisions by Committee Don’t Always Yield the Best Results

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CollaborationParadoxOscarRamosOrozco

We often approach a new project with a group brainstorming session, an opportunity to pool our team members to chart a common trajectory towards completion. Studies show, however, that such collaboration can be detrimental to the best outcome. This article by renowned author, Ron Friedman, Ph.D., outlines the potential pitfalls of collaborations: they may breed false confidence, introduce pressures to conform, and promote laziness. It will help you to discover the art of successful collaborations. Illustration by Oscar Ramos Orozco.

Five Decision-Making Pitfalls

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Pitfalls

Although we would all like to make rational decisions, it’s not unusual for us to fall victim to mistakes of logic and reasoning. Often, we make these mistakes without even realizing it. A few common “decision-making pitfalls” include the following:

Confirmation bias

  • Only looking for information that supports your ideas
  • Ignoring information that doesn’t support your ideas
  • Failing to take all the facts into consideration

Overconfidence

  • Having the false belief that you can predict what will happen in the future
  • Believing that you are good at making decisions, so you don’t need to put much effort into it

Availability bias

  • Basing your decision on a single past experience, something that happened to a friend, or something that you saw in the media rather than a careful analysis of the situation

Entrapment

  • Continuing to pursue a certain course of action because you’ve already devoted money, time, or effort to it – even if it doesn’t make sense to continue
  • Incorrectly believing that you can recover some of your losses by investing even more money, time, or effort

Bandwagon effect

  • Choosing to do (or believe) certain things simply because other people are doing or believing those things

You can avoid these decision-making pitfalls simply by learning about them (Finkelstein, Whitehead, & Campbell, 2008). If you understand why and how these mistakes occur, you’ll be less likely to make them.

 

Finkelstein, S., Whitehead, J., & Campbell, A. (2008). Think again: Why good leaders make bad decisions and how to keep it from happening to you. Boston, MA: Harvard University Press.