Better Decisions

DEF’s approach to decision making enables us to judge the quality of a decision as it is being made. We can apply the ideas and methods presented here as a checklist for simple decisions or as a systematic process for difficult decisions.

What Makes a Good Decision?

"Whether my decision is good or bad depends on how I make it, not on the outcome."

Head and Heart
A good decision requires both head and heart. Decision makers need to ask themselves:

Does my decision feel right?

Decision Quality
To be sure we reach a decision which makes sense and feels right, we need to understand that a good decision has six elements. These six elements are like the links in a chain: Your decision is only as strong as the weakest link.

 The Decision Quality Chain
Only as Strong as its Weakest Link

Decision Fitness
In many cases, we have time to carefully think through a decision and consider each element of the Decision Quality Chain. But in other instances, we need to be prepared to make a quick, in-the-moment—yet potentially life-shaping—decision (for example, should I be a passenger in my friend’s car when I know they’ve been drinking?)
 
This is why we need to make sure that our kids develop good decision habits and become “decision fit.”
 

For more information about good decision making, download our booklet
Decision Quality: The Fundamentals of Making Good Decisions