Decisions Over Decimals

CHAPTER 9Chasing the Decision

People will not resist decisions they believe are in their best interests.

— Unknown

Do you often feel like you are running all out, but failing to reach the finish line? You bring your full self, but at the end of the week you are exhausted and your to‐do list is longer. You're overscheduled for next week, and last week's decisions are still pending. You feel like you are constantly chasing the decision. At some point, a colleague usually says, “Well, making a decision like this is a marathon not a sprint.” Frankly, we've never taken comfort in that cliché. Both types of races are challenging in their own right. One is about endurance; the other is about a short burst or maximum speed, and both require commitment to tough training to get in shape mentally and physically. Challenging as both races are, however, they both are only about running, and decision‐making is not a single‐sport challenge.

Decision‐making is more like a triathlon, a multidisciplinary event. Triathlons always start with swimming, followed by cycling and, finally, a run. The swim is first because water poses the greatest threat to a tired athlete—exhaustion could result in drowning. Similarly, the risk from fatigue or error in biking is much higher than in running. Watch the Tour de France, or any competitive bike race, and you'll see a tight pack of riders—a peloton (from the French word for platoon)—moving as a unit. Each rider conserves energy by “drafting” behind others, ...