Think like Einstein to boost your team’s decision making

In the often high-risk-high-stakes world of small business, making more great decisions than the odd poor one can mean the difference between success and failure. Yet, even the most capable teams can fall prey to biases, blind spots, and group thinking and make a terrible call. You need to think like Einstein, instead says business coach, Bryan Whitefield

Einstein’s famous thought experiment involving a moving train and two bolts of lightning demonstrates the importance of perspective. Indeed, an observer of the train will have a different perspective to someone on the train when lightning bolts hit the front and the back of the train simultaneously. The observer sees the bolts strike simultaneously. However, the person on the moving train is moving towards the strike at the front and away from the strike at the rear and will observe them as occurring at different times.

That was powerful thinking. Let’s explore the power of independent observers during critical decision-making processes and how they can be the game-changers your business needs.

The Rationale: A Fresh Set of Eyes

Imagine you’re navigating a ship through treacherous waters. While your crew is skilled, having a lookout in the crow’s nest provides a broader perspective, spotting dangers the team on deck might miss. This is precisely the role an observer plays in decision-making.

The right observer brings an objective, impartial perspective to the table. They’re not embroiled in office politics or swayed by personal stakes in the outcome. This detachment allows them to identify potential pitfalls to the process the team is taking to arrive at the decision.

Who should observe?

Selecting the right observer is crucial. The key considerations are:

1. Relevant expertise: They should understand your industry and the nature of the decision at hand.
2. Independence: Choose someone without a direct stake in the outcome.
3. Strong communication skills: They need to articulate their observations clearly and diplomatically.
4. Trust: It can be difficult to invite outsiders into your inner sanctum. They need to be someone you and your team can trust with what they hear.

If you can’t risk going outside your organisation, the next best is someone who has the least skin in the game on this particular decision.

What is the observer’s role?

So, what exactly does a decision-making observer do? Their primary function is to monitor the decision-making process and to act as a circuit-breaker if they see poor decision-making processes occurring and restore balance to the conversation. If they need to interject, they should lead with a question, not an accusation.

What is an observer looking for?

1. Diversity. Is there the right mix of diverse backgrounds in the room, and what can be done to address gaps?
2. Anchoring. Is the group moving on from the first set of positive or negative assertions and considering many other aspects and angles to the issues?
3. Unshared. Is everyone offering their opinion, and have you asked explicitly if anyone has information, good or BAD, that needs sharing?
4. Scales. Are team members using subjective ratings, such as ‘significant’ or ‘high’, without a commonly agreed scale to define their meaning?
5. Fatigue. Is there evidence of fatigue among your people?

Is this for us?

Do you or your team want someone sitting, observing and potentially interjecting to keep good practices flowing during your decision process? If the decision is big enough, a better question is “Can we afford not to have someone help ensure we get this right?” We have over 50 years of behavioural science demonstrating how flawed our decision making can be.

For the observer to be successful you will need to brief the team, set expectations and assure them they will reflect on the process together after the event for the process to improve over time. For recurring decisions, consider using a team member as observer and rotate the role depending on the topic. Appointing an observer for critical decisions can provide your team with invaluable insights, help avoid costly mistakes, and foster a culture of thoughtful, comprehensive decision-making. By bringing in this external perspective, you’re not admitting weakness – you’re demonstrating a commitment to making the best possible choices for your business’s future.

So, the next time your team faces a pivotal decision, consider bringing in an observer. That fresh perspective might be the key to unlocking your team’s full potential and steering your business towards success.

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