Testing assumptions
An interview with Dan Ariely in Sloan Mgmt Review points up the need to test assumptions – critical, of course, and can’t fault Dan’s case. But doing as he asks on serious strategic decisions is not so easy. Read more
How good leaders make bad decisions
… and right after the McKinsey survey, HBR has an article by Andrew Campbell, Jo Whitehead (Ashridge) and Sydney Finkelstein (Dartmouth) on neuroscience revelations about how leaders’ judgment gets distorted. It seems we have systematic biases, then land on initial conclusions we are reluctant to change, and the article offers a ‘red flag’ process for guarding against the dangers.
How companies make good decisions
McKinsey asked senior managers in companies that made good and bad decisions about their decision-making processes: who was involved, what drove the decisions, the analysis done, role of politics etc. Good to hear that hard benefits – like profits! – featured in successful decision-making disciplines. Article. More support for evidence-based management I guess.