How to make Decisions

Summarized From: Decision Making by John Adair.
Nice book. Says that decision making involves using the following skills:

1) Analysis : You need this to evaluate the best possible outcome, or to define the problem itself.

2)Holistic thinking : Thinking about the whole problem and not in parts. (Getting a good deal on a 5 AM flight ? Have you wondered how you will reach the airport at 4 AM , and that you have to get up at 2:30 AM to be there ? )

3) Imagination

4) Valuing: This is about getting priorities right. If you know technology is more important to you than money, then its an easy choice between the mainframe company job and the modestly paying but high tech Java work. Valuing is important in choosing the possible options, and is an important step in understanding a problem, before you take an action

5)Intuition :Some people arrive at an answer without an analytical approach. However, this is susectible to our moods at the moment. Intutive conclusions reached under stress/fear (or even extreme pleasure/joy) are likely to be proved wrong. Under emotionally loaded circumstances, intutive solutions are best avoided.

6)Using your depth mind: Listen to the subconscious self. Sometimes you make a decision but its not commited yet: perhaps a job offer in a field that you have coveted for years. But after you accept , you realize that the 6 and half day weeks and low pay are completly mismatched with your personal life at the moment. you listen to your heart and decline the offer.

7) Generating options : This is the key step where all the skills mentioned before are used together. First, you must discover the options available-sometimes we mistakenly think we have only one choice. Imagination is useful here. At the other extreme, choose feasible options when many possiblities are available. Attempt to narrow down options to two choices by elimination alternatives. Its easier to eliminate an option based on a certain criteria rather than prove that the other ones will work. Valuing, analysis , using your depth mind are all skills that help in this process.

At times, no action is also a valid option. When all options seem equal, one that provides maximum flexibility/freedom is the best choice.