Leaders are often judged by the decisions they make. One key to improving your decision making is to generate more options. This gets you beyond simple yes-no choices. In a recent piece for strategy+business, I lay out five ways to get a “nuanced perspective on potential risks and opportunities”:

  1. Map possibilities on a 2×2 matrix to create at least four options
  2. Deconstruct the binary to see which choices were discarded–and why
  3. Ask open-ended questions to solicit diverse ideas
  4. Make an array of options your standard approach
  5. Insert an unworkable option to stimulate fresh thinking.

To learn more about each approach, read the full piece.

“Think of your decision process as a lighting control. Too often, decisions are presented as a toggle switch where the choice is “on” or “off.” Instead, imagine a dimmer with myriad settings from dim and cozy to bright and clinical. With that metaphor in mind, you can view each decision in the best possible light.”

Photo by Riccardo Annandale on Unsplash