Decision Making For Dummies

Chapter 20

Ten Tips for Decision-Making in Uncertain Situations

In This Chapter

Eliminating blind spots that narrow your thinking

Applying both your analytical and intuitive skills

Working creatively with unpredictability and risk

Concrete thinkers in today’s world are under pressure. As I show throughout this book, viewing the world through a black-and-white lens is deceptive, and your decision-making suffers, especially in a world where market conditions change quickly and you have to navigate ambiguous situations. Here are ten tips to help you make the jump from black-and-white thinking and guide you in your decision-making.

Check Assumptions

Assumptions and unexamined beliefs can limit your understanding of a situation. Unchecked assumptions increase uncertainty because they lead to false conclusions and limit your options. You’re probably making assumptions if you tend to think in terms of absolutes — “Business exists purely to be the economic engine,” “Our product is only applicable to Customer A,” “That change works great for Company B, but it would never work here,” for example — and if you think you already know whatever it is you need to know.

Therefore, you want to ...