An Algorithm For Choice

** Free Values Worksheet and Change Spreadsheet download at the bottom **

One of the most common leadership challenges my clients face is making choices. It’s also one of the most common human challenges. Especially when there are several options that feel neck and neck. In those cases, it is less about analyzing the best option and more about clearing up the veil of overwhelm that seems to shroud the choice at hand. Not only can you not identify a clear equation to lead you to the right answer, you can’t even differentiate the variables at play. And two common reactions emerge to that overwhelm: paralysis or snap decisions, neither of which yields the best solution.

Here are the common questions my clients pose:

• What’s the best decision about ____________?
• What if I make the wrong decision?
• I want this and this and this and this, but I can’t get them all so how do I know which one to prioritize?
• What if _________ fill in the blank with “the company fails”, “the boss is horrible”, “my partner is pissed off at me,” “I regret it”, “the same results happen again”, etc.?

There is an inherent assumption underlying all of these questions. Namely:

There is a right answer.