A 4-Step Process for Making Better Decisions

I am always looking at the decision making process of those I am seeking to disciple and mentor as I often see that many of us make short sighted decisions without consulting those God has placed around us. "Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety (Pro 11:14; see also Pro 15:22). Here is excerpt of a blog by Michael Hyatt on a new book he is enthusiastic about, Decisive.

Human beings are notoriously bad at making decisions. We seem to struggle with this in both our personal and professional lives.

For example:

• Forty-one percent of first marriages end in divorce.
• Forty-four percent of lawyers would not recommend a career in law to young people.
• Eighty-three percent of corporate mergers and acquisitions fail to create any value for shareholders.

According to bestselling authors Chip Heath and Dan Heath, “When it comes to making decisions, it’s clear that our brains are flawed instruments.” Whether we rely on complex analysis or gut reactions, the results are about the same.

Unfortunately, merely being aware of these shortcomings doesn’t fix the problem, any more than knowing that we are nearsighted helps us to see. The real question is: How can we do better?

That’s why the Heath brothers wrote their new book, Decisive: How to Make Better Choices in Life and Work. I spent this last weekend reading it.

First, we have to understand the problem. The authors point out the “four villains” when it comes to making decisions:

1. We have too narrow of focus. We are guilty of “spotlight thinking.” We focus on the obvious and visible. We miss important facts outside our immediate view.
2. We fall into confirmation bias. We develop a quick belief about something and then seek out information that confirms that belief.
3. We get caught in short-term emotion. We are too emotionally connected to the decision and struggle with being appropriately detached.
4. We are guilty of overconfidence. We assume that we know more than we actually do know and jump to conclusions, thinking we can accurately predict the future.

The great value of the book is that it lays out a decision-making process that can be used in any situation.

Rest of the article can be found here..