Decision Making

Make sure ‘no’ means ‘no’

May 14, 2020
Saying “No” in an argument or negotiation can be difficult, but standing your ground as the other person tries to change your mind can be even more difficult.

‘Pedal’ the truth

April 9, 2020
Q. A few employees asked me if the company would “invest” in under-desk exercise cycles. They cost about $170 apiece. If we buy these for several employees, it would likely open a floodgate of more workers wanting them, setting us back thousands of dollars. Things like these are faddish and I could honestly see them going unused. Should I get them for what amounts to a short-term morale boost?

The next great Lifetime movie

March 11, 2020
Q. I’m a single female VP (it took me 10 years to rise up) who is romantically attracted to a charming male subordinate. We have a strict no-fraternization policy. I love my job and I’m falling in love with him. I know I can’t have both. Help!

Availability bias may be tripping you up

March 11, 2020
Good decision-making depends on obtaining sufficient information and using it effectively. What you learn toward the end of the data-gathering process can hijack your thinking and produce bad decisions. Here’s how to fight off information distortion.

How do you make decisions? It matters

February 14, 2020
There’s more to making decisions than simply choosing an option—it also pays to take into account the effects of the way you make decisions.

Open office, open mutiny

August 8, 2019
Q. Two months ago our office switched to an open office plan, which was partly my idea. And guess what? Everyone pretty much hates it. How do I salvage this situation when reverting back to the old way would shine so much light on my bad decision?

5 mental traps of decision-making

May 9, 2019
Heuristics are defined as mental shortcuts, or unconscious routines, to help us deal with the complexities of decision-making. Most of the time, these shortcuts serve us well—but they can undermine our objectivity. Here are five psychological traps, or biases, that often derail business decisions.

Got a problem? Think it over

May 2, 2019
Thinking through a problem deeply—long before taking any action—may be the key to solving it.

Pounce on fear to make progress

October 11, 2018
Most people respond to fear by trying to shove it aside so they can resume their work. But denying its intense power can prove futile.

Nobody likes a know-it-all

July 12, 2018
Both you and your people will benefit if you can show a little humility through simple asides, like “Sometimes I jump to conclusions.”