Steal This CEO's "Emotional Bookends" Technique To Make Much Better Decisions

Are the best decisions made through rational analysis or instinct? It's a question leaders have probably argued about forever, with a number of obsessed rationalists claiming that only careful analysis leads to sound decisions and more intuitive, artistic types insisting that there is no is no substitute for following your instincts.

Who's right? Psychology actually offers a pretty clear answer: everyone.

You need both emotion and reason to make good decisions.

Data enthusiasts are right to say that there are many occasions when our guts mourn us (especially in noisy, unpredictable environments where it's impossible to learn from repetition and comments). But as neuroscientist Antonio Damasio explained in (or, more briefly, in speeches), you can't separate emotion from decision-making either.

Damasio discovered that when people have brain damage that knocks out their emotions, they don't become better at making optimal decisions. They get much worse. These patients retain the ability to sift through the data and determine the pros and cons, but are often unable to pull the trigger and ultimately make a choice, even for very minor choices like where to eat dinner. .

Emotions encode lessons in our bodies about what we like and dislike, what works for us and what doesn't. Without these signals, it is incredibly difficult for us to make intelligent choices. So, do we need analysis or emotions to make good decisions? Science says we need both.

How to balance emotion and reason in practice

Put this truth into practice, however, is tricky. A trade school, experience as an entrepreneur, or even an online course can teach you about the digital side of things. But how do you thoughtfully incorporate your emotions into your decision-making in a way that takes them seriously but doesn't allow them to overwhelm you?

On HBR recently, Cheryl Strauss Einhorn, CEO of decision-making consultancy Decisive, offered a nifty technique to help leaders find that difficult balance. She calls it "the emotional book ending", and in short, it works like this:

Decide on the decision you need to make. It's easy to get lost in the sauce if you don't take the time to fully understand the specific options you're choosing between.

Identify what you think of the decision. Do you feel anxious? Terrified? Excited? Overwhelmed? Tune in to your emotions until you know exactly how you feel about this choice. This is the first "emotional bookend" on one side of your decision.

Visualize what the right decision would feel like. Are you relieved? Energized? Proud? Also take the time to get a feel for your second emotional bookend by understanding what you are aiming for emotionally.

Reevaluate how you phrased your decision. Naming your emotions this way often reveals that you've worded your choice incorrectly or overlooked possible alternatives, Einhorn insists.

It's not always fun dealing with what Einhorn calls "your lizard brain", that is, the older, more...