Elite

CHAPTER 10Make Decisions That Produce Good Results

Simply knowing that something exists and that it works has great value. You may not be able to explain how gravity works on a whiteboard but you trust the fact that it exists, which may be enough to keep you from jumping off the Grand Canyon. In the same way, you may not know how the engine in your car works but you know how to fill it with gas, get an oil change, and get to work on time.

Although knowing something is necessary is valuable, elite people will understand how it works and this will provide them a significant advantage. The person who knows how to change his or her own oil will save money. The person who can feel the car popping and locking will begin to diagnose the problem, first checking for fouled spark plugs, clogged fuel lines, and so on. By staying ahead of the problem, the car will likely stay in better shape for longer. Similarly, if someone understands gravitation pull but also knows how moving quickly with wings that throw the air down to the ground generating the force called lift, that person can literally take flight, seemingly defying gravity.

This is true for decision-making as well. We all know how to make decisions but we’re not necessarily conscious of how we are doing it. We may not understand how others are making better decisions than we are and we may not know how some people tend to be flexible and can shift strategies effectively and quickly.

The truth is, once we understand the process ...