"Feels Right" Decision Making

I'm an experienced traveller. After years of work trips, I have my packing list down pat.  I know how to navigate security, where to park and how none of that matters when we travel as a family, with 8 bags, 2 children, 2 loveys and a stroller.

Last week in the wake of Freddy Gray's death and the resulting riots, I travelled to Baltimore on business for a trade show. Unlike other work commitments, it was not readily movable and given the nature of my small company, my role at the show was not readily replaceable so I got up bright and early and flew down.  And while I could of cancelled and that certainly would have been understandable,  I thought (and was generally correct) that I was not putting myself in danger and that I could always go home if I got scared.

Streets of Downtown Baltimore last Tuesday 

The National Guard were visible on the drive into the city.  The businesses and schools were largely closed. The helicopters and sirens were a regular occurrence throughout the visit,  especially at  night. About a 1/3 of the attendees at the show cancelled.  And the strictly enforced 10 PM curfew made it crystal clear that, this was a city, which was struggling.

So why go? I could give a long explanation about why I felt I had to, why I thought it was safe but the truth is I felt I should and felt that I could.

But, the rules are different then they use to be. My decisions even when I'm traveling alone are not just about me anymore.

Risk & Responsibility

A friend told me a story about going on her roof this winter to try and address the ice dams that caused so much trouble.  She walked through her thought process of climbing up on to the roof:

"I'm capable.  I can take care of this."

And then, found herself standing on top of the icy roof, realizing that the stakes are higher than they used to be.

"It is not just me that I effect anymore.  If I fall off the roof, my kids will not have a mother."

It was easier to be risky, when it was just us.

6th Grade Science

So with all that is at stake - we are making decisions because they "feel" right? Is that crazy?  

Malcolm Glidwell spends most of Blink looking at examples and details to quantify the power of our gut -how split-second decision making is actually shockingly effective.  In some cases, more effective then the detailed and comprehensive analysis.  I like the hybrid, or the 6th grade science approach.  Here's what I mean:

In very early science classes, we're taught to form a hypothesis and then design an experiment to test it.  So - I take my initial "feels right" as my hypothesis and then look for some evidence to support or refute.  In the case of the Baltimore trip,  we looked at the map.  We read the reports from the city and  from the convention center.  The flights weren't cancelled, the convention wasn't cancelled.  So - seemed worth trying and I was prepared to abort at any time if that no longer seemed to be true.

Not perfect, but good enough.  A combo of art and science is generally how we roll.  And on teams that you trust, worked with for a long time,  really know each other - gut and "feels right" works.  For teams that don't know each other as well,  and/or trust each other, much more detailed analysis is necessary but in the world that I play in - the data isn't perfect.  It is a combination of customer comments, adjacent market research, internal observations and a fair amount of gut. 

Like my kids,  it's easier to be riskier when it's just me that effected.  When it's our team, our product line, our reputation, the stakes are higher.  

So, it goes!

Thanks for reading!