Decision Making

Reach consensus fast

March 20, 2018

If you want 100% consensus before you make a decision, chances are you’ll be waiting a long time. Rather than trying to elicit a “Yes” from every member of your team, follow these steps.

When decisions bite back

February 23, 2018

Decisions always have a ripple effect of unforeseen consequences.

Risks, benefits of decision-making

October 11, 2017

Deciding is a process, not an event, so use that process to learn. Here are some benefits, risks and challenges.

The tough decision checklist: Finish it and sleep soundly tonight

August 16, 2017

Stop second-guessing yourself and get out a pen. After you go coolly through this checklist point by point, you’ll be ready to stand up and make that difficult call—no hesitation, and no regrets.

They just knew it was time

August 16, 2017

Most of us wait to end our time at a job, or our careers, until we absolutely must go. But once in a while, it’s worth imagining what it would be like to depart in midstride.

When to settle a case

August 3, 2017

In the event of a lawsuit, the legal process can lead your business rather than the other way around.

For three months, James Reinertsen grappled with a tough question: Should we restructure the company? Everyone enthusiastically agreed they should combine forces and form a tight system. Yet in the weeks that followed, problems erupted.

Sometimes, Don Quixote wins

April 7, 2017

Some people thought A. Philip Randolph was crazy in 1930 when he turned down a job offer from New York City’s mayor, Fiorello La Guardia.

Churchill’s probing questions

March 29, 2017

Without trust and mutual respect, less sharing of information and more obfuscation can lead to tragically wrongheaded decisions.

Apple manager: ‘We cannot launch’

March 12, 2017

During the final testing of Apple’s PowerBook, Anthony Soohoo discovered a small flaw that could harm its performance.