Positive Psychology at Work:

Other Factors that Enhance Decision-Making

1) Mindfulness

Positive psychology has developed considerable interest in the idea of mindfulness. Cultivating mindfulness, they have discovered, is good for us as individuals, resulting in greater competency, health, longevity, positive affect (feeling good), creativity, charisma and reduced burnout (Langer, 2005). Mindfulness is good for organizations too, as it enhances their ability to adapt and learn. When mindful we are alert to the possibility of change. This state of mind is helpful to effective decision-making. Given this, you might think that organizations would be vigilant in their mindfulness, yet most organizations introduce large chunks of mindless activity into organizational life. They set up repeatable routines that allow the organization to continue to function ‘as if’ nothing changes. This is an expression of the organizational quest for certainty and efficiency. While this mindless behaviour produces the benefits of efficient, streamlined procedure, it introduces the cost of a loss of adaptability.

When we come together to make a decision the temptation is to seek certainty and answers, and to be paralysed if it isn't immediately obvious how that can be achieved. We want to introduce a quick, fixed account of how things are so that we can make decisions from a clear position. In this context being mindful is about being able to exploit the potential of the uncertainty rather than to be paralysed by it. Later in this ...