The Process of Decision Making Through Conflict

The Process of Decision Making Through Conflict
Wake Up to Live with Desiree Leigh

Do you realize that everything is a process? That everything has order to it? Just as life, success, and the gestation period of a child and a seed has a process, so does the art of decision making. Recently I purchased some wonderful dvd's on The Art of Decision Making. Since I'm an avid learner, I love to read and watch many lectures on the fundamentals of many disciplines, as well as business & economics.

I never really thought of decision making as a process,though, and neither did I think that conflict and debate were part of that process too. Most people like to avoid conflict, believing that it causes pain and resistance in others besides ourselves. And many times it does, depending how we handle the situation. But in order to make a better more informed decision, listening to both or many sides of the topic in debate is actually the best way of doing it. Chuck Knight, CEO of Emerson Electric and Jack Welch, CEO of General Electric had built their firm's core values on constructive conflict.

The stimulation of debate is essential in good decision making. Someone known as the devil's advocate would argue the ideas or comments in question to determine their validity and benefits.

In the 1950's television show, Your Shows of Shows, staring comedian Sid Caesar, comic writers Mel Brooks, Larry Gelbart, Neil Simon, Woody Allen, and Carl Reiner would enter a famous writers' room where they fought and argued loudly. In a safe environment, free to express their thoughts and opinions, ideas flowed freely.

One very important stipulation, though, is that all conflict was to remain productive and free of slander, building mutual respect while understanding each person's cognitive style. As well as being aware of the warning signs of any dysfunctional conflict.

Everything is a process. The birth of an idea, decision making, life, success, the gestation period of a child, healing, learning a new subject, falling in love, and falling out of love, are just a few things of an endless many. So many times we want to get from here to there in a single leap avoiding confrontation, vulnerability, challenges, effort, emotions and, yes, conflict, but is this realistic as humans? By avoiding any of the above, we stop our learning; we close ourselves off to the world that enlightens us, that gives us meaning. Even evolution, awakening, discovery, enlightenment, and expansion are all a process. If we can truly understand this then perhaps we can stop the hurry mode, live in the moment of all polarities, joy and sorrow, ease and struggle, love and hate, and ENJOY!

Reference

Roberto, M. A. (2009). The Are of Critical Decision Making. The Teaching Company. Chantilly, Virginia