The Uncertain Upside
- Escaping the Black Hole of Indecision
You've tried to be rigorous.
- You're clear about your objectives.
- You've examined the alternatives.
- You've considered potential risks.
And yet, you can't seem to make a final decision.
Around and around you go. You know you need to make a decision.
But you set the matter aside once again. It nags at you. And you
feel stupid because it shouldn't be this hard.
What's especially annoying is this often happens for seemingly
inconsequential decisions. It doesn't take a wizard to know that
if something isn't very important and two options are essentially
equal and reasonably positive, you might as well just flip a coin
and get on with it. But sometimes we just get stuck. Why?
Indecision is a blow to productivity and a big source of stress,
whether in business or at home. Understanding the cause and finding
methods to move ahead can provide significant benefits.
There are a multitude of reasons for indecision, such as sloppy
thought processes, an unwillingness to face the implications of
what is clearly the best alternative, and a poor understanding of
the situation, priorities and possibilities. But let's consider
the most perplexing. Let's assume:
- You are motivated to decide
- You have appropriate knowledge and authority to decide, and
- You have been reasonably disciplined about determining the objectives,
alternatives and risks.
Your process yields a toss up and you get stuck. Why aren't you
ready to flip a coin?
I think ultimately the uneasiness is telling us that we need to
question our assumptions. Perhaps if we could just see the situation
in a new way, the decision would be easy. And perhaps that's exactly
why we have been revisiting those objectives and our other assumptions
day after day, maybe week after week, possibly at work, at home
and in our sleep. The result: Indecision.
The Uncertain Upside
To escape the throes of indecision, you do need to see your assumptions
in a new light. Rather than revisiting them endlessly, simply add
one more step to your process. Consider the uncertain upside. Examine
the two, apparently equally worthy alternatives from the perspective
of what unexpected benefits might be gained. What opportunities
might you gain from one or the other? Suddenly, one alternative
may shine.
For example, suppose you are trying to decide whether to attend
a conference. Either you go or you don't. Your decision process
came out kind of wishy-washy, leaning in favor of not going to save
a few bucks and a day of time. But something about this decision
makes you uneasy. However, once you consider the uncertain upside,
you realize that the conference could lead to an abundance of opportunities
that simply aren't going to walk into your office if you don't go.
Yes, it may be a waste of time and money, but picking wisely and
taking the risk occasionally is a good idea. But somehow, your original
list of objectives never mentioned this idea. That original list
was more about this particular conference - topic, cost, location
and timing.
If you find yourself caught in the throes of indecision despite
your best efforts, be sure to consider the uncertain upside. You
will likely vindicate your uneasiness and discover an important
dimension not reflected on your list of objectives.
|
Share this Article