Judgement Calls: Making Good Decisions in Difficult Situations

by John C. Mowen

A close-up look at the decision-making process analyzes the principles underlying the difficult choices made daily by high-profile individuals under circumstances of extreme uncertainty and enormous risk

304 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1994

Reviews

[Bryon Brandt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book!
But be prepared to have your head twisted some, with some ideas that may take some time to get used to, as they may go counter to so much that you've learned already.

The idea that took me the longest to wrap my head around is:

"A Decision should be evaluated by
the quality of the Decision Making Process,
not by the Outcome of the Decision."

Who thinks about the decision making process?
Did we win? Did the decision work? Yes or No?
Therefore a good or bad decision.
Isn't that how we evaluate decisions?

I still believe that the Decision Making Process is important, because even the best decisions don't guarantee the desired outcome.

So, to help buy into John Mowen's logic I remind myself when:
I drove over 100 miles an hour, on public roads, in this country.

I didn't have an accident.
I didn't get hurt.
I didn't hurt anyone.
I didn't get ticketed. And
It was a new experience, that I was enjoying.

That makes it a good decision, right?
Probably not!

So retelling myself that story
makes it easier to remember the logic
John Mowen is working to help us learn.

How Good Is Our Decision Making Process?

Food for thought that is still wracking my brain.

I look forward to hearing what others found most thought provoking in this book.

[R. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fine study in the art of deciding. The author proposes eight judgment calls and goes about describing them both analytically and through the use of examples from many aspects of life. The book was written in the early nineties and some of the examples are dated. Nevertheless the concepts are timeless.