Brain Science and Decision-Making

Making good decisions under a variety of circumstances is a critical leadership skill. Your brain works differently to decide when you have little time than it does when you can consider your options.

Marilee Sprenger, author of "The Leadership Brain for Dummies,", offers the following ideas to help you make the best decision when you have the time to research the situation:

• Clearly define the problem - exactly define the challenge
• Gather all the data related to the problem - enlist your team's help
• List all possible solutions - even the crazy ones
• Consider the consequences of each solution - with a little thought, the right solution may turn out to be a disaster in waiting

When you're making decisions with little time:

• Consider previous situations - the decisions you made in that situation probably apply to the current one
• Look to the future impact - even when pressed for time, considering the ramifications of your choice is critical
• Gather as much information as you can
• Listen to your instincts - as well as your logic

Making good choices is a matter of gathering input from all areas of your brain. Understanding how your brain processes information - even in a time crunch - will help you make better decisions.