Could a Crisis in Decision Making be Behind the Economic Crisis?

In business, time is money — and business owners can’t afford to waste either one.

Despite this, many businesses miss the mark because so many decisions are based purely on numbers and using rational data. Insufficient attention is given to the many strands of subtle information that draws upon our intuitive capabilities. The latter can be the difference between a quality decision and a pure quantity minded one.

Author Peter Arthur-Smith believes that “today’s economic crisis is really a crisis in poor decision making,” a topic he addresses in his new book, “Smart Decisions: Goodbye Problems, Hello Options.”

The book is dedicated to introducing and illustrating the benefits of “option solving” instead of “problem solving.” Such a technique allows for approaching any key issue with a new mindset. It also allows practitioners to take full advantage of their intuitive capabilities as a better decision making tool.

In the book “Smart Decisions: Goodbye Problem, Hello Options” the author approaches problem-solving with two solutions in mind:

Enable people to discover how to tackle their challenges creatively, to stop labeling them as problems and instead consider all their options. Once laid out, people can then use their broad-ranging intuitive capabilities for assessing optimum solutions. Their rational mind is less able to do this because it cannot “tell truth from fiction.”

Learn the principles behind option solving and allow appropriate groups of people to bring their “collective wisdom” to bear. Collective wisdom so often determines the best option for a team, company, owners or trustee board. Option solving provides the tools for superior business and organizational decision making.

“Smart Decisions: Goodbye Problems, Hello Options” illustrates six simple principles of using option solving:

• Ask the right question and frame the possibilities
• Be imaginative and think “out of the box”
• Avoid asking “how, why, when or where” until the best option is identified
• Avoid excluding any option until all options have emerged
• Allow participants to support a less than conclusive option
• Accept hunches or gut feelings.

Raymond P. Ebeling, CEO, American Shipping and Logistics Group, current Chairman of National Defense Transportation Association, and recipient Admiral of the Ocean Seas Award (2004), said:

“In today’s volatile environment, business development can be frozen by perceived problems and risks. Traditional business thinking simply leads to more paralysis by analysis. ‘Option Solving’ is a breakthrough approach that gives you the theoretical framework, as well as productive processes and techniques, to reposition and further develop your business.”

Peter A. Arthur-Smith experienced leadership early at high school, in scouting and at Army College. As a young British Army Captain, he moved into human resources management within manufacturing industry. He then spent nearly 20 years with the Swedish consulting company Mercuri Urval, both in England and New York, helping clients make optimal hiring and executive development decisions.

Founded in 1994, Leadership Solutions, Inc. offers groundbreaking organizational tools (not technology) that enable executives to lead more than manage. Option Solving is one of those tools.

For information on Peter Arthur-Smith and his new book, visit http://www.optionsolving.com.

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