Better Decisions

Does having access to more information mean we make better decisions?

Not necessarily. 

Regardless of the amount of information we have access to, we can always get more.  It may take more time or more resources to access.  Sometimes we decide to hold off and gather more information. Other times there may be a sense of urgency, real or perceived, that requires us to make decisions and act based on the information we have at hand.

I remember watching the movie “Sully” with Tom Hanks.  It is the story of Chesley Sullenberger the pilot who landed his damaged plane on the Hudson River to save the crew and passengers. After landing the plane without losing any lives, he was questioned about whether the decision he made was the right one.

Hindsight and information post event are wonderful things.  It is easy for others to be critical when they have more information than the decision makers at the time.  However, when in the moment, we make decisions based on our knowledge at the time.

Sometimes the decisions will be right, other times they will be wrong.

Whilst more may be better, sometimes what we have is enough for us to set something in motion and then recalibrate as we gather more information and data.

We can always seek more information, but often looming deadlines mean we don’t have the luxury of time to wait. Whilst hindsight is a wonderful thing, sometimes we need to trust in our experience, input from others and our knowledge that we are making the best decision in the moment.

Want help getting productive? Subscribe to my free productivity insights and tips here.