What do you think of when you see the classic image of a group of people surrounding a blank whiteboard? Innovation? Idea generation? Problem-solving? While a blank canvas, or the universe of infinite possibilities, seems like a great way to solve a problem or make a complex decision, it might not be effective or efficient to explore all options. Most…
How are you using the AREA Method to make your big decisions better? This month, I’m launching the Problem Solved Podcast, containing a series of interviews with people who are using AREA for both personal and professional decisions. You’ll hear them explain what decision they were making, why they chose to use AREA, and how it went: what worked and…
Recently I sent a copy of my book Problem Solved about decision making to Warren Buffett. He responded with a lovely note of encouragement and had this observation: “It always amazes me how many seemingly intelligent people have trouble thinking clearly. Their thoughts get tangled into a plate of spaghetti.” Mr. Buffett is so eloquent, and so clear thinking. He’s right of…
How do we build trust with other stakeholders when making decisions? It was a question that an official at the State Department asked me to address last month when she invited me to speak to a group of foreign counter-terrorism experts from around the world. The official came to me after reading about my book Problem Solved. She felt my…
Educational experts across the spectrum bemoan the state of U.S. high schools, yet no one can agree on how to make schools more effective. Many fixes have been proposed, and many solutions have been tried, with varying success. But what if there were a way to improve students’ learning that didn’t cost trillions of dollars, could be easily implemented in…
As the stock market has been taking a wild ride these past few weeks, I’ve been finishing up a new book, currently titled Investing In Financial Research: A Decision Making System For Better Results. It is scheduled to be published in the fall. It’s an updated general interest version of the textbook I wrote initially for my Columbia Business School…
Right now high school seniors everywhere are faced with a high stakes decision about which college they will go to. It’s a decision that will have a long-term impact on their lives, where the outcome is unknown and the price for making the wrong decision could be very costly. Many seniors select a school based upon the reputation that it…
How do we deal with emotions in decision making? It’s a question that came up over and again as I ran a workshop this past month for YPO.org. The workshop was for CEOs who run a family business or investment office. While it is hard enough to deal with complex decision making at baseline, once family members are involved it’s…
Could the secret to great performance lie in an uneven distribution of our time and effort? Take the case of Usain Bolt, the fastest sprinter in history. Researchers just determined that he has an off-beat stride: his legs are different lengths so he strikes the pavement with different levels of force. Scientists at Southern Methodist University, leading biometrics experts on…
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