The Decision Making Dimension – When Assumption and Sound Decision Making (Almost) Collide (Bad Pun Intended)

Two jets going 150 mph, at night, in a big sky, but only feet away…

Some years ago, I experienced a whole headful of assuming, expectation bias, and a galling lack of willingness to speak up (even though I knew better) as a young jet pilot flying missions overseas. It was at night, returning from a “routine” outing, and everything felt easy and effortless…until it wasn’t.

I talk about decision making as one of the three pillars of high reliability and operations excellence practices. Assumption will steamroll sound decision making. When assumption starts running roughshod over decision making, empowerment tools like intellectual space to ask questions, a “Speak Up” culture, and (cannot emphasize this enough) blatant and overt leadership advocacy of these tools can keep assumption at bay.

I published this on LinkedIn not long ago. Enjoy the read and hope you learn a little something.

More to follow.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/time-i-told-voice-my-head-think-we-should-ok-geoff-mckeel/?trackingId=b5amIDuNTQea%2B03I%2FNX6FQ%3D%3D