WSJ: How do top Executives Make Decisions – How the brain works.
hmmmm this tells us that plenty of prep time enables you to be MORE creative…
Here’s a closer look at some of the discoveries researchers have made.
Want Innovation? Be Wary of Deadlines
We often think a deadline can help us shake off inertia and focus on getting a job done. But the brain research suggests precisely the opposite is true. A deadline, instead, more often limits our thinking and can lead to much worse decision making.
Richard Boyatzis—along with colleague Anthony Jack and others—has found that a tight deadline increases people’s urgency and stress levels. These people show more activity in the brain’s “task positive” network, which we use for problem solving. But it’s not the part of the brain that comes up with original ideas.
Big Unknowns Lead to Bad Choices
The ticking clock of a deadline isn’t the only kind of pressure that makes for bad decisions. So does uncertainty, such as feeling that your job or your company’s future is under threat.
Good Thinkers Look Past Facts
Everybody is aware of the classic—and revered—image of the hardheaded decision maker, who cuts through nonessentials and goes after cold facts. But researchers are finding the truth is much more complex: The best leaders seem to lean on their emotions much more than logic.
Leaders Should Stay Positive
The best leaders, it seems, are good at motivating people with things like encouragement, praise and rewards—thereby creating a strong emotional bond and sense of purpose among employees.
Click on the top left link for the full article.
Chez Froggie 