Decisions Making in a Blink

How we really make most decisions and why

If the mind and the brain and how they work fascinate you, then the book "Blink" is a must read for you!

I've been studying the concepts of persuasion and influence and how the brain really works and makes choices. It is probably not the way you think it does or that you have as much control as you would like.

Here is the situation; you have a major client that is having a problem and is all but happy about it. The situation is getting tense and the loss of this account is looking more likely. You are trying to stay in control and think, but things are moving so fast and you have three of the clients on your case at one time. The world is spinning and you are losing track of what is happening in the confrontation. This is not good and you just cannot think fast enough.  If only this would all slow down so you could think!

Meanwhile; a police officer that has been in a fatal shooting is describing the situation that took only seconds in such great detail that one would think it took 5 minutes. Every detail of the criminal, the gun and how it looked and where it was pointed at any given time, even how the bullets hit and where!

Question; how can a police officer slow a 2-3 second incident down and recall such detail when we are challenged to think straight in a client disagreement!

The answer is something every Leader, Manager or Salesperson needs to understand and be able to use!

Here is how it works….

In the book "Blink" the comparison is drawn between experts that could look at a statue or a situation and immediately come to a correct conclusion in seconds.  Meanwhile others did studies, ran tests or extensive examinations only to come to an erroneous conclusion! 

How can this be!

To understand this we have to face one undeniable fact; our brain makes the majority of our decisions and choices without us being involved!  Yep, even though we want to believe we are logical and in control, our brain is making choices and directing us without us being involved!

Think of a time where you saw something and just immediately knew there was something not right. You could not explain what it was, yet you just felt it was not right! Ultimately you were proven correct and still could not explain why!

Your inner brain or primitive reptilian brain was evaluating the situation through your experience and was sensing things your cortex or thinking brain had not picked up.  I call this reptilian part of the brain "Liz" for short.  It is amazing how many choices "Liz" actually makes for us!

Now "Liz" will do one of two things:

1.       Take over and block out your thinking cortex and be fully reactive. In "Blink" this is called being "Mind Blind".  This is where emotion is fully in control and past negative experience or prejudice can take over. 

A rookie cop sees a young black man in a situation that assumes he has a gun and is doing something wrong. (If the boy is guilty or not, is not a factor, prejudice says he is.) In a matter of seconds the unarmed boy is shot dead!  The officer can hardly recall anything that happened!

A salesperson is about to close a big sale. The client asks one more question and the salesperson makes a big assumption, "Liz", the assumption and prejudice kick in.  What comes out of the salespersons mouth sets the client back on their heels and kills the deal! Unfortunately the salesperson has no idea what just happened or recalls what was said.

2.       Because of experience, training and practice; "Liz" allows the cortex to kick in. Everything is focuses on what to look for or observe. The person is only aware of what is being focused on and time seems to slow down.

The experience officer has been here before and realizes this could be a dangerous situation. Yet something says not to pull the trigger just yet! He sees every movement, observes every detail, even the pearl handle on the gun and where the barrel is pointing.  In less than 2 seconds the gun is on the ground and no shots are fired!  "I knew he was scared and something told me to hold off firing."  The officer explains every move and observation in detail!

The salesperson has had extensive communications training and planned and practiced their skills. The client is throwing some real crap at them and trying to beat them up on the deal. This salesperson knows what to observe and time seems to slow down. He sees the slight tightening of the upper lip, hears the voice conations, picks up on clues most would miss. This salesperson knows just what to do and address the situation in a way which leaves the client saying "yes" at full margin!  An evaluation of the conversation revels the details of what was observed and said and why!

So how do we develop the ability to put "Liz" to work for us rather than against us?

Knowledge, experience and practice are the answers. In law enforcement the officers that go through extensive high pressure practice are able to slow down the real situations. Much of this comes from their education as to what to observe and focus on that gives them the real picture.

I observe the same thing in Leadership of Sales development. Those that make assumptions end up having "Liz" in control more often than not. Those that study, get training and practice have a different view and focus on the cues that tell them the real picture.  "Liz" becomes their secret weapon and competitive edge by providing a deep insight or intuition.

This is one reason the Seminar and Knowledge only approach to training just does not get the long term results. "Liz" needs some form of experience in order to modify the reaction and Seminar and Knowledge only approaches just do not get this done!

So if you want to be more in control, slow the situation down and observe the cues, get educated, but also get coaching and practice to put "Liz" under your control!

Getting the book "Blink" would be a good start!

Harlan Goerger

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