World-class decision-making is no longer the sole domain of corporate executives.
We must all improve our decision-making skills in today’s high-stakes business environment.
And although we may think our decision-making is first-class, we must weigh it against two measures: desired outcomes and comparative analysis.
If our decision-making produces optimal results, we can conclude we are good decision-makers.
But to become great decision-makers, we must compare our thinking to those who have made outstanding societal contributions.
If there is no comparative analysis, we are operating under a cloud of delusion.
According to Teradata, a multi-cloud data platform company, Comparative Analysis is defined as:
…Comparing two or more processes, documents, data sets, or other objects. Pattern analysis, filtering, and decision-tree analysis are forms of comparative analysis.
Comparative analysis allows us to create the best decision-making process and evaluate more effective ways of solving critical problems.
By evaluating the decision-making process of successful INTJs, from Warren Buffett to Quentin Tarantino, we can begin gauging how effective our methods and philosophies are.
Here are five successful INTJs who share their secrets to making hard decisions.
Warren Buffett
Warren Buffett has been deemed the greatest financial investor who has ever lived.
And while many have attempted to decode his investment strategies, Marcel Schwantes, an INC. Magazine contributing editor and leadership expert, outlined the decision-making process for Warren Buffet as follows:
Invest in yourself.
You are encouraged never to stop acquiring knowledge. More specifically, the knowledge that improves you as a whole not just as an investor.
Measure your success by your “inner scorecard.”
Your competition is with yourself as opposed to random strangers.
Love more.
This sounds strange as it relates to decision-making. However, Buffett suggests that money can’t buy life’s most valuable yet intangible things, like love. Love what you do and the people in your life.
In this vein, Buffett does not view decision-making as one-dimensional but holistic.
Decision-making is not merely what you do; it’s who you are.
Tina Fey
Comedian and Saturday Night Live (SNL) alumna Tina Fey suggests one should have a “Yes…and” perspective about decision-making.
Instead of ruling out a potential solution without consideration, determine what could be added to strengthen the possibilities.
Hanna Hart, a leadership coach and consultant, elaborated on Tina Fey’s decision-making process by saying:
“Yes, and” means finding the value in others’ contributions and rather than criticizing and shutting them down. It is the opposite of what Lou Gerstner called the “culture of no” that he inherited when he took the reins at IBM in the ’90s and found rampant indecision in an environment where dissenters won the day and innovation was stifled. In a Yes, and culture, new ideas are welcomed, explored, and expanded upon. Divergent or conflicting ideas are openly and constructively discussed and evaluated. In this generous and generative environment, innovation flourishes, and team members feel valued.
Under this doctrine, potential ideas are accepted before they are determined ineffective.
Barack Obama
Arguably the U.S. presidency is the most demanding job ever created. Former President Barack Obama made decisions based on the probabilities for success rather than perfect solutions.
Former President Obama said:
…In just a few short weeks on the job, I had already realized that because every tough decision came down to a probability, then certainty was an impossibility — which could leave me encumbered by the sense that I could never get it quite right. So rather than let myself get paralyzed in the quest for a perfect solution, or succumb to the temptation to just go with my gut every time, I created a sound decision-making process — one where I really listened to the experts, followed the facts, considered my goals and weighed all of that against my principles. Then, no matter how things turned out, I would at least know I had done my level best with the information in front of me…. We’re constantly assessing how to act and what to do, carefully weighing the safety of each choice. It can be exhausting.
The best we can do is find a framework that helps us consider our choices, knowing that there may not be one perfect answer. That way, we can rest a little easier knowing that we did the best we could in the circumstances, come what may.
Adopting a formalized system or decision-making process assures consistent and methodical outcomes.
Sheryl Sandberg
Sheryl Sandberg is a self-made billionaire and the former COO of Meta, the parent company of Facebook.
Business professionals often quote her transformational insights.
Sandberg recommended changing and trying new things in decision-making. She said:
Do certain scenarios in your life (relationships, jobs, etc.) seem to always play out the same way? Examine why that is and do something different. Doing the same thing (choosing the same type of partner or reacting in a certain way to criticism) will yield similar results every time. Try something different and see where that gets you.
If you want different results, you must try other operational methods.
Quentin Tarantino
Filmmaker Quentin Tarantino has built a legacy of creating movies that mix genres to tell a compelling story. Despite the criticism of some of his films, Tarantino has always paved his own way. He is dedicated to the vision of his movies and has a take-no-prisoners attitude toward ensuring a successful outcome. In decision-making, he said:
I am the captain of the ship, and they have to follow my orders as far as that’s concerned. But when it comes to getting the best out of them in any given scene or performance, then I’m at their disposal. Because it’s not about getting my way, it’s about making them comfortable and getting the best out of them.
Being accountable for your decision-making outcomes is essential to taking control of the execution.
Takeaways
- Keep acquiring knowledge. Superior decision-making reflects who you are. You bring your whole self to the decision-making process.
- Don’t rule out options before they have been evaluated.
- Trust and rely on the decision-making method you have adopted.
- If you are not getting the desired results, try something else.
- Take responsibility for all your actions.
Introverts can compare their decision-making skills against the greats of history.
Use them as benchmarks to raise your level if your decision-making doesn’t measure up.
By using a great decision-maker’s framework, you can also take your place in history.
It all begins with the choices you make.
—Joan R. Lindstrom
References
Aldredge, J. (2022, July 8). 10 quotes from Quentin Tarantino on filmmaking. Premium Beat. Retrieved from: https://bit.ly/3S2x1tn.
Every Day Power (n.d.). Sheryl Sandberg quotes about leaning in, Facebook, and life. Retrieved from: https://bit.ly/3D2yMCF.
Hart. H. (n.d.). Tina Fey’s advice: Say yes, and….Hanna Hart Leadership. Retrieved from: https://bit.ly/3ERlxpT.
Kristenson, S. (2022, May 31). 49 Famous people & celebrities with INTJ personality Type. Happier Human. Retrieved from: https://bit.ly/3MIlFKc
Obama, (B. (2020, Dec. 9). How I approach the most challenging decisions. Barack Obama: Retrieved from: https://bit.ly/3TstYvC.
Schwantes, M. (n.d.). Warren Buffett believes 3 decisions in life separate those who succeed from those who fail. Inc. Retrieved from: https://bit.ly/3gbBZqu.
Teradata. (n.d.). What is comparative analysis? Retrieved from: https://bit.ly/3s2vpoQ.
Images:
“Barack Obama at Carnegie Mellon University” by Anirudh Koul is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0.
“Warren Buffett” by MarkGregory007 is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.
“Tina Fey” by Gage Skidmore is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.
“Women in Economic Decision-making: Sheryl Sandberg” by World Economic Forum is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.
“Quentin Tarantino” by Gage Skidmore is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.