Which type of decision-maker are you?

How do you decide on what car to buy, what job offer to take, or where to go on vacation? It turns out that there are two types of people when it comes to making decisions.

Maximisers want the best possible choice, and don’t make a decision until all the options have been screened.

So-called ‘satisficers’, on the other hand, decide once certain criteria are met. As soon as they find the car, restaurant, or gift that meets their essential criteria, they’re satisfied.

Barry Schwartz, author of The Paradox of Choice, came to the conclusion that satisficers tend to be happier than maximisers. Maximisers must spend a lot more time and energy reaching a decision, and they have more anxiety about their decision. Satisficers take action and move on, knowing they’ve made the best choice given their needs at the time.

Tags: choosing, Decision-making, leadership