How to break down decision-making at work or the ballot box
I’ve been thinking about the voters who are still undecided about the presidential candidates. Election Day is almost here. Maybe there will be some big surprise between now and then. But most likely we already have all the information we’re going to get about the two candidates. So, what’s the hang-up for so many people?
I’m interested in how people make decisions, because as a management psychologist part of my job is to help senior executives make good ones. Psychological research has taught us a lot about decision-making — how people make their choices and how they evaluate them. For example, Daniel Kahneman’s work has been very influential in helping us understand the kinds of biases that interfere with rational decision-making.
Here’s how to characterize different kinds of decisions:
Approach-Approach. You have two desirable options, but you can choose only one of them. For example, you’re a CEO and you need to hire a new CFO. You have a strong internal candidate and a talented external option. Each one brings a slightly different set of positive qualities to the position. How do you choose?
Approach-Avoid. You have one option that has both positive and negative aspects. Do you go for it or not? Perhaps you’re a senior leader who has been offered a great opportunity in another country. It’s an exciting and lucrative option, but it means uprooting your teenage kids and your husband’s career. What do you do?
Avoid-Avoid. You have two options, and you don’t like either one of them, but you have to choose one. Let’s say you have a very talented creative leader in your company. He’s brilliant and energetic, but he creates chaos wherever he goes. His team members and colleagues are frustrated with him. Do you keep him and deal with the ongoing mayhem, or do you let him go and lose the value he brings to the company?
None of these decisions is easy, but some are easier than others. In general, the approach-approach decision is the easiest to make. That’s because as you start to lean toward one of the choices, the attractiveness of that choice becomes more apparent. It’s kind of like gravity pulling you into that alternative.
Steps for avoiding an avoid-avoid decision
The toughest choice is the avoid-avoid decision, because the opposite dynamic is in place. As you lean closer to one alternative, the problems with that choice become more apparent. So then you lean the other way and the problems with that choice become more obvious. That’s how we often get paralyzed and have difficulty making up our minds.
I think that’s where many of the undecided voters sit. They have concerns about both candidates, so they have trouble committing themselves to either side. How can people help themselves resolve an avoid-avoid decision?
Take a pause. Stop thinking about the issue for a while. When you come back to it, you may have a clearer perspective.
Consider the importance of this decision. If it isn’t really pressing, let it lie. Perhaps a third, better option will present itself.
Gather as much data as possible. Maybe there are important elements in your decision that you haven’t considered yet.
Do scenario planning. Think about what is likely to happen if you choose option A or option B. Which scenario is preferable?
Ask wise people what they would do in your place.
Why not sit this one out?
Sometimes it’s OK to just avoid making a decision. But I would argue that the presidential election is not one of those times. I grew up in an era when schools taught children that voting was a very important privilege and responsibility. In my public school, they brought voting machines into the school so we could practice pushing the little levers and recording our votes. Even when my husband and I lived outside of the United States, we went to considerable trouble to vote in every American presidential election.
In my experience, even when you don’t like either candidate, one is always preferable to the other. The greater the voter participation, the better for our country. So please vote.
If you’d like to discuss executive decision-making or other senior leadership skills, send me a note at ggolden@gailgoldenconsulting.com.
