Critical Decision Making
Critical Decision Making
In this post I’ll talk about critical decision making and how our conscious and unconscious minds work together to make choices in our daily lives. I’ll even argue that every conscious decision is a critical decision.
“It’s not hard to make decisions when you know what your values are”
― Roy Disney
We make thousands of choices per day. Some sources say we make as many as 35,000 conscious decisions per-day[1] and keep in mind that may not account entirely for the unconscious decisions we make each day. Generally speaking, we make thousands of choices as a natural part of our lives. Of course, some are more comfortable than others and sometimes it is nearly impossible to make, “the right decision.” In this chapter we will discuss the natural process the brain uses to make decisions, consciously as well as unconsciously.
Unleashing the power of unconscious thinking…
The human brain is an incredibly complex organ that fills up the pages of entire compendiums of research. So, in the interest of brevity we will not attempt to explain exactly how the brain functions but, in rather general terms explain the basic functions of two parts of the brain; conscious and unconscious.
Imagine the two portions of the brain as individual agents who act both autonomously and in concert to direct the behavior of an individual. Throughout the course we will refer back to this team of brain agents as a working dog team. A working dog team is comprised of a handler and a canine partner. Most commonly we see working dogs with police officers in the K-9 capacity. However, dogs of various breeds have been used for centuries in a wide variety of roles[2]. Service dogs provide comfort to emotionally distressed persons, help blind people “see”, and provide early warning for people with seizures and even migraines. Detection teams search for bombs, drugs, fugitives, dead bodies and even bedbugs. Working dogs fill diverse roles throughout our society but in every case the handler and the dog are independent agents who form a bond and work together to accomplish a specific task.
In this analogy, the handler represents the conscious/cognitive portion of the brain and where the majority of complex thoughts are synthesized. This “agent” allocates attention to effortful mental activities that demand it, including; adaptive reasoning, complex problem solving, and rationalizing. The operations of this portion are often associated with the subjective experience of agency, choice, and concentration. In the book, “Thinking, Fast and Slow”, Daniel Kahneman explains this as the slow thinking portion of the brain. The Conscious mind takes over during intentional critical decision making, when time allows for it, or it realizes that the problem at hand is beyond the scope of the unconscious mind.
The dog represents the unconscious/pre-cognitive portion of the brain because it is rather similar to that of an animal’s. Anatomically it is nested in the center of the brain. It is programmed based on experiences and makes intuitive decisions in split seconds based on prior programming. This portion of our brain operates automatically and quickly, with little or no effort and no sense of voluntary control. The unconscious mind is the “Fast Thinking” portion of our brain.
We will refer back to the dog analogy often as we discuss how to train ourselves and our teams. Our dogs are driven by emotion and controlled by patterns of behavior. While our handlers are able to think through a complex problem and consciously understand the value of changing a pattern of behavior, our dogs are not so easily retrained. Our services and more specifically for now, this workshop is largely about retraining dogs.
Facilitated Transformative Intervention (FTI) Model
Facilitated Transformative Intervention (FTI) is a critical decision making process that occurs automatically. When examined in detail it enables a person to facilitate a transformative process in themselves and others while exploring the process of how a decision is made – essentially, thinking about thinking. This process is also known as, “Meta-Cognition[3].” Leaders who use the FTI method are able to identify the underlying values, attitudes, beliefs, and assumptions (VAB) that led to a behavior or action and have a through a conversation (or series of conversations) to redirect the behavior to be consistent with organizational values and to support the professional ethic. It is important to remind the reader that in the chapter on communications we discussed the four audiences. Remember, conversations occur in our own minds as often (perhaps even more often) than they do with any other audience. This model is based on the Four Component Model[4] Developed by, James Rest, PhD. The system is incorporated into moral decision making models used in nearly every institution including; education, health care, and the United States Military[5]. Although Rest clearly defines the four components as; moral sensitivity, moral motivation, moral judgement, and moral action we have modified the original model significantly and incorporated another famous decision making model, Boyd’s OODA Loop[6]. In fact, much like Rest’s model, the O for Observe, was nearly dubbed, “Sense” but Boyd’s OODA Loop would be known today as the SODA Loop if that were the case5.
The basic model is divided into five phases. The last one however, is entirely unconscious and developed through meta-cognitive reflection. The first four are a naturally occurring process of any decision and follow the famous, OODA model.
1. Observe
“We don’t see things as they are, we seen them as we are”
– Anais Nin, a French-Cuban writer of short stories
Trust your gut. Few people realize that Boyd’s famous OODA Loop nearly ended up as the SODA loop. True story6. Boyd’s OODA Loop wasn’t unveiled in a single dramatic event. Instead it evolved over time, becoming more and more concise each time he briefed it. In the earlier renditions he explained, Orientation as, “Sensing.” Hence, the current OODA model would have been the SODA model.
The observe phase sets the stage for, “what” is happening. This is where and when we define our current reality. The Observe phase is a constantly evolving process – hence where the loop reference in Boyd’s model comes from. The Observe/Sensing phase of decision making is a constant evaluation of how our environment is effecting us and whether or not our environment is meeting our expectations. Often times when we observe something that does not meet our expectations we experience cognitive dissonance.
Colonel Boyd and others, like Dr. Rest realized that the catalyst to emotional/cognitive processing rarely (if ever) begins with a conscious thought. Most often it is the emotional, precognitive portion of our minds that has the epiphany. Epiphany used here in the contemporary sense – not in the literal and historic religious sense. Many different things can trigger an opportunity for a courageous conversation in our own minds, between the dog and the handler if you will. When we have a reaction of any kind to something heard, seen, or experienced it is our dog talking to the handler. It is an emotional response, listen carefully and figure out where it came from, then get ready to explore it with others. Ask, “what just happened there?”
Remember courageous conversations? Notice what you notice and listen with every sense applies here. In any of our workshops we will discuss this in great detail – it is incredibly important that we understand our triggers, biases, and sense of identity to fully understanding Boyd’s, “Implicit Controls.”
2. Orient
To ask, “what just happened there?” is to begin the, So What portion of the conversation. Boyd and Rest converge here once again. Rest refers to this stage as the morale motivation phase. In summary he and others identify this as the period in decision making where our values, attitudes, and beliefs dual for dominance. To continue with the dog and handler analogy – this is where the dog may choose to chase the squirrel if it is not properly trained to not do so. It’s also where the handler can make a conscious choice to control the dog and begin effectively retraining it to disallow such behavior in the future. Boyd’s model presents more or less the same concept at this point. In conversations over the last couple of decades I find that his work is often over-simplified at this most critical phase by tactical trainers. Boyd’s model tells us that cultural traditions, genetic heritage, the ability to analyze and synthesize, previous experience and new information all play a significant role at this point. We address each of these in more detail in other chapters. The important take away for now is that in this moment there are several factors that determine what happens next and if left unexamined will continue. It is at this point in decision making when we unconsciously decide what to do based on an algorithm of these factors that can’t be explained here. However, it’s also at this point that in a conscious conversation and with the help of critical thinking and good conversation.
As Susan Scott tells us in her book, Fierce Conversations, we must interrogate reality. Chris Hardwick uses a similar concept in his book, The Nerdist Way. Hardwick says to imagine your problem sitting across from you at a table and interview it like you are Charlie Rose. Don’t blink – Charlie never blinks. Of course now that you have both Hardwick’s, Charlie rose analogy and my dog and handler analogy mixed you’ve probably envisioned a handler interrogating a dog in dark interview room with a swing lamp handing over a metal table… Just go with it. Whether this facilitated conversation occurs in your own mind – in an inner dialogue between the handler and the dog or between yourself and a another person there are two keys to success at this point. First, ask good conversations and second, allow everyone to be as authentic and transparent as possible. This can only happen when everyone involved is respectful of each other – interrogate what happened – not who did it. Some other best practices include; being present, being obvious (www.theyesworks.com), trusting our guts, and taking time to breath. In our workshops we have an expectation of getting to, “why” without using the word. This takes a little more patience but doing so will help avoid positive response blocking.
When conducting a facilitated discussion, it is important to remember to respect the process, the context, and the content. Start with the end in mind – establish a general direction you want the conversation to go – but be flexible – don’t assume you know how it will end. It may be better to have several short conversations as opposed to one long one. Sometimes an initial conversation and referencing it later will have more of an effect. This allows the adult learner the opportunity for experiential learning[7]. As adult education professor David Boud and his colleagues explained: “Reflection is an important human activity in which people recapture their experience, think about it, mull it over and evaluate it. It is this working with experience that is important in learning.”[8]
It is important to create an emotionally safe environment that allows connection with everyone. Sometimes connecting with others can be done directly. That is, speak directly to the person whose opinion is different than our own. Other times we may need to enlist the help of others in an indirect approach. Remember, people tend to learn best when they are involved in a mutual respectful conversation. A good facilitator will keep all members of a conversation engaged both as speakers and as listeners.
Watch for non-verbal clues that indicate levels of involvement and interest. Try to build the conversation by actively listening (discussed in more detail later) in order to build the conversation. One of the best ways to build a conversation is to ask a lot of good clarifying questions. We should ask mostly open ended questions that require the other person to expand their answer beyond a single word. Sometimes however, it helps to use close ended questions to establish an understanding of the group’s opinion or position on a topic. Questions such as, “do we agree?” accompanied by a glance around the room absorbing the verbal and nonverbal cues.
Elements of an effective conversation:
1) Connect with everyone
- Provide emotional safety
- Leverage direct and indirect engagement
- Involve everyone
- Watch for non-verbal cues
2) Build the conversation
- Start with why[9] (a Simon Sinek reference)
- Ask clarifying questions
- Balance the process and the content
- Use mostly open ended questions
- Determine consensus with agreement style questions
3) Be flexible and extend the learning environment
- Multiple sessions enable more experiential learning
- Enable meta-cognition and experiential learning
- Don’t expect closure
Although we will cover this in much more detail in other posts I want to point out the concept of identity orientation. Generally speaking, identity orientation refers to the way in which an individual approaches or manages to avoid the tasks of constructing and revising their self-identity. When in the orientation phase of a decision it is not uncommon to experience discomfort. As human beings we tend to avoid being uncomfortable and will therefore go to great lengths to protect ourselves from it. Even on an unconscious level. We’ll avoid certain conversations or social settings because it doesn’t fit with our identity and self-concept. If you’ve ever changed your shirt several times because you just weren’t, “feeling it” you’ve experienced an identity orientation struggle.
3. Decide
In any case, when we decide on a course of action we are giving our best estimate as to the outcome of our decision. Confidence is used to describe the level of reliability we have in the decisions we make to yield our intended results.
Also, it is important to point out that this step is incredibly fluid and largely defined by group dynamics and norms. This part of a conversation (internal or external) may also be dictated by formal or informal rules, regulations, or policies. The end of this phase marks the arrival on the near bank of the, “River of Fear.” It is at this point where the group or an individual must commit to a decision before taking action.
Boyd and Rest continue to agree at this point as well. However, Rest refers to this phase as, “moral judgement.” In so much as morals are evaluated as either good or bad and Rest’s work centers solely on ethical decision making and morality I tend to lean more toward Boyd’s model to help explain this as his allows for hypothetical estimates based on the full range VAB. In either case, both models allow for implicit and explicit controls.
Our ability to judgement is a funny word when used in this context. To judge something implies that we have experienced it and therefore have authority to judge the outcome. However, judgement in this phase is based on an estimation of an expected outcome and therefore is a judgment made based on prior experience that may or may not be relevant to the current situation. This step is the essence of prejudice.
4. Act
The terminal phase of a decision cycle, is when a person or group takes an action in furtherance of their decision.
Throughout the workshop we focus heavily on situations where the leader is a bystander or a witness to a situation. When situations unfold in front of us, this model will help us decide for ourselves or help others decide which action to take.
This is the crux of any decision making model. Yet is the most difficult to provide explicit guidance in a text such as this. This is where the strength of our character is tested – we have to face our fears and adversity. Of course action strength is equal parts confidence and courage. But action also requires discipline and resilience.
In terms of character strength, courage is our ability to face our fears and adversity. Intervening in a situation at the risk to our personal identity and reputation might require extensive personal courage. Equally, confidence is the ability to predict that our action will achieve our intended outcome. Both confidence and courage increase with practice. Discipline is a tricky topic in this context because it implies that the actor is to do what is expected legally and morally. A disciplined person does, “the right thing.” However, the traditional definitions of the word imply that the, right thing is perfectly clear and that the actor is unburdened by moral and ethical dilemmas. Finally, resiliency is our ability to bounce back. Although this component of character strength fits more into the next phase for development it is in this phase that it is tested. Resiliency will be discussed in much more detail in another chapter.
5. Transform
Transformation is the fifth and final phase in the FTI Process. Although it will be described in much more detail later it is important that we address early on that learning occurs both consciously and unconsciously at the same time[10]. Remember the final bullet under, “Elements of Effective Conversations?” This is what is meant by the extended learning environment. Both the dog and the handler perceive a lesson differently; one logical and the other emotional.
“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” ― Maya Angelou
[1] Read more about decision making at go.roberts.edu/leadingedge/the-great-choices-of-strategic-leaders
[2] Learn more about working dogs at en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Working_dog
[3] Learn more about metacognition at, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metacognition
[4] Learn more about James Rest’s 4-Component Model at, usna.edu/Ethics
[5] Learn more about the Center for Army Profession and Ethics at, cape.army.mil
[6] Learn more about Boyd’s OODA Loop at, usafa.edu/df/dfh/docs/Harmon54.pdf
[7] Learn more about experiential learning at, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Experiential_learning
[8] Learn more about relective practice at, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reflective_practice
[9] Start with Why, Simon Sinek
[10] Learn more about Dual Process Theory, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dual_process_theory