Posted by Adam Turteltaub

Good and bad decisions are at the heart of compliance efforts. So much of our work is dedicated to helping people make better informed choices.

In this podcast, Rupert Evill, Founding Director of EthicsInsight shares practical advice for making good decisions.

He begins, though, with outlining several factors that lead to bad decision making. Pressure is, not surprisingly, a very large factor, whether it is time-based or financial.  Ethical hazing wrongly gives people permission to do something that they shouldn’t. Faulty assumptions are another persistent challenge. Still another factor is failure to plan. Not taking the time to foresee issues can leave individuals suddenly confronted with circumstances where it is already too late to do the right thing.

So how do we encourage and make good decisions?  He lays out four steps:

* Consider possible outcomes. Take the time to assess what might happen and encourage diverse opinions. One handy trick he recommends is asking people to write down ideas rather than sharing them publicly. That can lead to more diverse thinking.

* Consider the likelihood of each outcome. When doing so, he recommends using a numerical scale rather than words like “it’s possible.” That phrase can mean very different things to different people.

* Rank the preferred outcomes and their likelihood. Look for assumptions in decision making and test them to see if they are true. Consider carefully your strategy for achieving your goals.

* Consider what can be done now to favorable affect the outcome. Think through what the options are, don’t show your cards too soon and remember that there is usually more than one option.

Listen in to learn more. It could be the best decision you make today.