Decision Paralysis

I got something pretty useful out of my MBA, I call it a decision matrix. Among the great case studies I read, papers I wrote, and conversations I had with my mentor, instructors, and other students, the decision matrix described in a Strategic Management unit was a highlight of the program.

How can someone who overanalyzes everything quantify a decision that is truly qualitative?

I'm asked often by friends, colleagues, and family for help in making major decisions. Minor decision questions come, too, like what to make when hosting a party. Big decisions, though, require a completely different thought process.

I'll use an example of making a choice among three job offers.

First, pick the top three to five highest priorities in the decision. Let's say my top priorities are salary,

quality of work (fits what I like to do and am good at doing), benefits, flexible work schedule, and a supportive supervisor. Your top priorities may include work location, travel, international travel, etc.

Next, rank those priorities by percentage. After having a traumatic experience with a boss and work completely out of my comfort zone, I ranked those two priorities significantly higher when planning for my next position.

Now you're ready to rate the job offers for each priority on a scale of 1 - 10. Try hard not to compare one job to another; rate each priority based on what you know about the jobs individually.

When you've rated each priority for each job, multiply the priority by the percent you associated with each priority, to give appropriate weight to each priority.

Now add the rankings for each priority for each job. You may be surprised by the difference, or perhaps you'll see very little variability among the choices. In that case, add another couple of priorities and rank them - because the priorities you selected aren't clear enough to differentiate one choice from another.

Based on this matrix, clearly job 1 is the best fit for you. Of course, you'll still agonize over choosing one over the others because you simply cannot see the future. In that case, refer to an older post, When You Don't Know Where to Start, to remember that very few decisions are long-term, life-changing, un-fixable decisions.

The decision matrix is different from the pro/con list you've used in the past because it ranks the priorities according to their importance in the decision. It's not a laundry list of good vs. bad, it's a quantitative tool for a qualitative decision.

I've used the tool myself and have helped others in decision making by providing the tool to them. It makes me wonder if it would work with personal decisions like a marriage proposal, the decision to have children (or not), or whether to commit to a gym membership. It seems like a good place to start, especially if you're more comfortable with numbers and facts than emotions and people... Thoughts on that? What would your decision matrix look like?

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I teach people how to find their stories, organize them, and share them across platforms. Learning to tell your story is the key to your success. Learning to understand your audience and make your story effective is the key to storytelling. I love people, which is why I'm devoted to helping people find better ways to connect and improve their lives by improving their storytelling skills. A skilled teacher and entertaining speaker, I offer storytelling and customer service trainings and workshops and one-to-one coaching for job seekers.