Photo by Vlada Karpovich
Author Dewald’s book on decision-making under fire shows how people do it and what comes from making choices under pressure.
From their waking moment, they have already come face to face with countless decisions. What should they do throughout the day? What should they have for breakfast? Should they go to work? How their days turn out is shaped by the decisions they make. Some need thorough consideration, as they have significant consequences. In contrast, others are much simpler and have no significant impact.
Decision-making plays a vital role in people’s lives. Every choice reflects what they stand for and shapes who they are. People choose who and what they want to become. In most instances, decision-making is done routinely, with most opportunities merely addressing people’s daily and everyday needs. These choices can be quickly made on a whim, subconscious decisions someone makes naturally. However, life is unpredictable, resulting in opportunities where people are pushed to make decisions in uncertain situations.
On Grounds of Uncertainty and Risks
Information is scarce in uncertain situations. People may find themselves in a tight spot under such conditions, knowing they can be at risk when making the wrong decision. Uncertainty obstructs people’s understanding of the situation and the consequences awaiting their decisions.
Take, for instance, what happens during conflicts or misunderstandings. People become hesitant about how to respond to the situation or approach others as behaviors become erratic under anger. With uncertainty, decision-making becomes exceptionally tricky.
Author and veteran Daniel Dewald shines a light on a similar matter. In his story about the 3rd Battalion serving during the Vietnam War, Daniel highlights the events these soldiers had to endure during tough times. He spotlights the troops’ promising traits and characteristics that pushed them to victory, which includes their decision-making abilities under tight situations. Dewald’s book on decision-making under fire shows how these soldiers remained sound and logical even in the face of extreme danger and without awareness of what comes next after their next moves.
How did they do it?
There’s no right or wrong approach to decision-making. Individuals undergo different processes to arrive at a decision, prioritizing various factors compared to others. But to guide those still at a loss, here are specific actions to decrease the chances of a negative outcome.
Have a Vision
Instead of comparing the numerous choices available and the possible outcomes and consequences they provide, people must determine an outcome they want to achieve. From there, they can evaluate the options at hand and choose which may help them arrive the closest to their goal.
Cementing a vision first can help people avoid getting stuck with comparing the options to which they need more information. Uncertainty encourages people to believe that the ends justify the means. It’s best to have a confident and concrete goal before finding a means to achieve it.
Listen to All Sides
Unpredictable situations can offer ambivalent choices, which work to attain different outcomes. People won’t be too sure what choices lead to what results. Hence, they can consider all available options and identify which arrives at the best possible outcome.
This decreases the chances of experiencing hindsight bias or regretting the choices. Examining each option can enrich decision-making and help individuals choose what they believe leads to the best outcome.
Act Rapidly but Not on Impulse
Waiting during uncertain situations may lead to having either more or fewer options available. Either way, it will put people in a predicament in choosing which helps them out of the situation. However, they must also remember that while rapidly acting is encouraged; they shouldn’t act on impulse.
Impulse means they didn’t thoroughly think of the situation. Having a good balance between acting fast and still thinking things through is essential. People may think of waiting for more information before making a decision. But often, waiting for more information leads to that alone – waiting, and no decision comes out of that. Additionally, nobody can truly tell if any information is arriving.
