decisive

<strong>Decisive</strong> is the third business book from the Heath Brothers.  In this effort they attempt to answer the question of how to make better decisions.

In typical fashion they arrive at a process for better decision making and spell out that process with the acronym WRAP:

~ Widen Your Options
~ Reality-Test Your Assumptions
~ Attain Distance Before Deciding
~ Prepare to Be Wrong

Their process is well-documented with research and examples.  Here are a few concepts that stuck with me:

<b>The spotlight effect</b>: the tendency to make decisions using the criteria that "what you see is all there is."  If you move the spotlight (actively draw out additional information) you can widen your options and thus, make better decisions.

<b>Confirmation bias</b>: the tendency to develop a quick belief about a situation and then seek out information that bolsters that belief.  It can look very scientific and lead to flawed decisions.

<b>Choice overload</b>: the tendency to freeze in the face of too many options.

<b>Multitracking</b>: considering more than one option simultaneously.

<b>Assume positive intent</b>: imagine that the behavior or words of your colleagues are motivated by good intentions.

<b>Ooch</b>: construct small experiments to test one's hypothesis.  Ooching is a way to reality-test your perceptions.

<b>Bookending</b>: estimating two different scenarios -- a dire one and a rosy one—allows you to plan for the worst outcomes, as well as, the best ones.

<b>Tripwire</b>: a signal that would snap you awake at exactly the right moment making you aware that you have a choice to make.

The goal of this book is to "make you a bit better at making good decisions and help you make your good decisions a bit more decisively."  The Heath Brothers succeeded.  They took on a challenging subject and made their case.

However, the WRAP acronym doesn't exactly roll off the tongue.  And changing behaviors to implement the WRAP process requires vigilance.  To make better decisions, <b>Decisive</b> may require a second read plus practice, plenty of practice.

For these reasons <b>Decisive</b> falls short of a five-star rating.  Nonetheless, this book should be on every manager's short list of books to read.

My favorite Heath Brothers' book remains <strong><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4939048327">Switch: How to Change Things When Change is Hard</a>.</strong>

Access Gene Babon's reviews of books on <strong>Business Leadership</strong> and <strong>Business Strategy</strong> at <strong><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/webapprentices/" target="_blank">Pinterest</a>.</strong>