Leaders as Decision Architects: Structure Your Organization's Work to Encourage Wise Choices

The primary causes of poor decision making are absence of motivation and cognitive biases, which can include how alternatives are perceived and the manner in which they are framed, and a preference for the status quo. Five steps are presented to alleviate these causes. Understand how decisions are made: some are instinctive, others are logical. Define the issue using behavioral economics tools. Identify if the underlying cause is lack of motivation or cognitive bias. Develop a solution drawing on emotional engagement, simplifying processes, creation of opportunities, and promoting accountability. Test this solution using a range of possibilities and selecting an outcome that is clear and quantifiable.