This Tendency May Lead You to Bad Decisions

 

Let's say you need a solution to a relatively complex project problem. It could be to fill a gap in a portion of the technology solution. It could be to simply design a better solution.

Let's say further that you have two proposals at this point.

1. Proposal 1 is from a team in your project workforce. This proposal does something your company has never done before and does appear to solve the problem based on your first read.
2. Proposal 2 is from a well-respected consulting firm on the opposite coast from where your office lies. Your initial evaluation determines that their unique solution also solves the problem.

Given only this information, what is your inclination? Would you choose Proposal 1 or Proposal 2? What details would you want to see next?

If your reaction is like most people, you would have a tendency to favor the consulting firm's idea. But not necessarily because it is from a consulting firm. Researchers found that when people were told that an idea was generated far away, they rated the idea as significantly more creative than when the idea was generated nearby.

It turns out that your mind interprets nearness as detailed and concrete and tends to become more critical of the idea. On the other hand, your mind interprets distance as more abstract and may not be critical enough when making a decision.

At any given time, you will be looking for solutions to problems in

• Training
• Design
• Construction/Development
• Documentation
• Process Improvement
• Product Innovation
• And more.

So don't miss out on good ideas right under your nose. Awareness of your tendencies will help you overcome  this problem. But also consider using a standard test or scoring process to select between rival alternatives. Be sure this standard process is used throughout your project to make decisions between options.

Consider also the benefits of innovation using your existing workforce. This builds morale and expertise for the future. You will have a more engaged workforce if they know that their creative ideas may help make the organization more successful.