👋 It's nice to see, that you take the time to find out more about the topic difficult decisions.
In this subchapter, the topic “How do i make difficult decissions” is adressed.
- “How do i make difficult decisions?”
To answer this question, it is helpful to start with an example. In the further course, the theory behind the decision making process will be discussed, so that finally the question "How to make difficult decisions?
Table of content
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- Table of content
- 🛫 Example from practice
- Hudson River Flight 1549
- 📙 Theorie behind the Decision-making processes
- Decision making vs. risk management in life
- 💡How to make difficult decisions in life?
- 1. Prerequisite
- 2. Making difficult decisions
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🛫 Example from practice
To better understand these chapters, it is helpful to start with a short practical example:
Hudson River Flight 1549
Everyone no this example, but let me explain it again to get an overview about difficult decision making. On January 15, 2009, 155 passengers take the flight 1549 from LaGuardia (New York) to Seattle. After 3 minutes the plane is 1000 m above ground. In this moment both engines fail because of a bird strike. Pilots must react very quickly and decide …
- January 15, 2009 US Airways Flight 1549
- Depart LaGuardian Airport to Seattle
- 3 minits, after take off, 1000 m above ground, both engines fail (bird strike)
- Ditching on the Hudson River
- All 155 people on board survived
End of the story: Plane landed on the Hudson River and all passenger on board survived (Tikkanen, A., 2009).
Peter Brand uses this very example to explain what it means to make difficult decisions and what happens besides the decision itself:
📙 Theorie behind the Decision-making processes
When it comes to making decisions, one is initially equipped with only a limited amount of information. Some individuals have access to more information than others. Nevertheless, the basis is almost always the same:
- leakage of information
💭 Ideal case: ommniscient and clear -headed
🙋🏼 Reality: Decisons under imperfect conditions, prevent us from thinking things through
Decisions are limited by:
- previous decisions
- facts remain undiscovered are ignored or misunderstood
- decisions makers are constrained by groupthink and their own flawad mind. (Rothman, 2019)
Ideally, an individium makes decisions omniscient and clear-headed. But reality shows that decisions are made under imperfect conditions, which helps us not to think things through completely. This leads to the problem of bounded rationality. Decisions are limited by previous decisions, facts remain undiscovered are ignored or misunderstood. Decision makers are constrained by groupthink and their own flawed minds In hindsight, as Peter Brandel has well said, one is always smarter and knows everything better. But that is exactly the point. Decisions are made now and not in retrospect when everything has been decided and you can only give an evaluation. (Rothman, 2019)
Decision making vs. risk management in life
he decision-making process is also fundamentally a way of managing one's own risk. How much risk I am willing to take? In sum, it must be kept in mind throughout the entire process that I will never have all the information and that my knowledge is limited. In order to make decisions on this basis better, according to Duke. A Three points can be derived and included: View decisions as bets. Take different perspectives and focus on the long term results not also on short term events. Summarize must always be aware in the decision process one must always be open to new information and we must be ready to change things when new arguments emerge. (Duke, 2018)
💡How to make difficult decisions in life?
In order to make difficult decisions, the assumptions and the decision-making process must be right. In the following I will deal with both topics. At the beginning on the prerequisites that should be given to make decisions.
1. Prerequisite
In his book "How you can make difficult decisions more easily", Lamprecht, A has listed 5 characteristics/conditions that are important for making difficult decisions in life. The first condition is change perspective. I look at the entire scenario from above using a mind map and ask myself the following questions: Who is involved in the situation? What options are available? What are your spontaneous good reactions, for and against? What long-term consequences might be associated with each decision? Which three compromises are you willing to make: minimum, medium, maximum? Ask yourself: Will these options bring me closer to my long-term goal? The second condition is make difficult decisions calmly. Even if it's hard, take the time to think about it and clear your head. The third condition, allow yourself the courage to take a break, describes that every decision has consequences. Not all of them you can foresee and others will not happen at all The fourth condition says that you can try something new from time to time. In this way, you practice making more differentiated and courageous decisions. The fifth condition "Either-or thinking" results in something feeling irrevocable. If I decide now, there is no going back. It is not like that. You can always decide anew. (Lamprecht, 2018)
🚶🏼♀️ Change perspective
💭 Make difficult decisions calmly
⏯️ Allow yourself the courage to take a break
🆕 Dare something new
☺️ As well as - combine the best of everything
2. Making difficult decisions
Step 1️⃣ Set a SMART goal. Step 2️⃣ Is it my responsibility? Step 3️⃣ Focus on important information. Step 4️⃣ Answer my 10 decision questions. Step 5️⃣ Devaluate opportunities, risks, positive and negative impacts, and pros and cons. Step 6️⃣ Weigh and decide
(Lamprecht, 2018)
For a bether understanding i will show you the most important step 5️⃣ as a example in Decision making between WG-Room or 1 room apparment:
🏠- 1 room appartment
🤼♂️ - WG-Room
→ At Step 6️⃣ of the decision makin process you can choose between two opportunities:
Calculation of decision
The decision can be made using calculation. The points for opportunities, advantages and positive effects are added together to give the result YES TOTAL. The total, risks, disadvantages and negative effects are then subtracted from the YES. The result is the decision. (Lamprecht, 2018)
Gut feel
Sicers, D. takes a different approach in his blog No Yes. Either hell yeah! He say if you can't make decisions damn hell yeah! Or wow that's what I was looking for, I have to do that!, .... Then just say NO. So you get more time in life for the really important things and make better decisions. This can also be traced back to gut feeling. (Sicers, 2009)
👋 Thank you for taking the time to educate yourself on “Difficult decisions in life!” I hope you were able to take away something for yourself and your life.
Resources:
Duke, A. (2018). Thinking in bets: Making smarter decisions when you don't have all the facts. Portfolio/Penguin.
Lamprecht, A. (2018). Wie du leichter schwierige Entscheidungen treffen kannst - Eine Anleitung. https://greifwerk.com/schwierige-entscheidungen-treffen/
Rothman, J. (2019, January 14). The art of decisionmaking: Your life choices aren´t just about what you want to do; they´re about who you want to be. https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2019/01/21/the-art-of-decision-making
Sicers, D. (2009, August 26). No Yes. Either hell yeah! or No. https://sive.rs/hellyeah?utm_source=ActiveCampaign&utm_medium=email&utm_content=The+Interesting+Times%3A+9+Questions+to+Ask+Before+You+Start+Something+New&utm_campaign=The+Interesting+Times+Weekly+11-06-20
Tikkanen, A. (2009, January 15). US Airways flight 1549. https://www.britannica.com/topic/US-Airways-Flight-1549-incident