The other day in class, we learned a great tool to help us make the right decisions. This tool was the GREAT decision making model.
Give thought to the problem. Do not impulsively make a decision. The consequences may not be rewarding and cause you to regret your decisions.
Review the choices. Come up with a list of ways to handle the situation.
Evaluate the consequences of each choice. This is the time to start thinking of what would the short-term and long-term consequences be if I choose choice A or if I choose choice B.
Assess and choose the best choice. Now, pick the choice that you feel is best for handling the situation.
Think it over afterwards. Reflect on the choice you made. Do you regret it? Could you have picked a better choice? Are you happy and know that you did the right thing?
The steps above are for the GREAT decision making model. Here are two other decision making models. The first one is called the Six Thinking Hats.
The Six Thinking Hat model involves the different colors shown in the picture to the right.
The white is for the observer, and the facts, rumors, and figures involved in making a good. This is using the information that is available to you.
The yellow hat is for the positives, benefits, pluses, and optimisim in the situation. Yellow symbolizes the sun, and is for the logical positive view.
The black hat is for the downside to the situation, the logical negative aspect, judgemental, and critical. This hat focuses on the,"what could go wrong?"
Red is for the emotions, hunches, and intuition that you have. It symbolizes warmth and fire. You believe something without any explanation.
Green is for the new ides and variations, possibilities, and being creative. This color symbolizes vegetation.
Blue is for the controler/conductor, the one organizing the thinking, choices, and conclusions. Like the blue sky, it is overviewing the process.
The next model, called the rational decsion making model, is summarized in the following diagram.
I think all three models for decision making are rather similar. Thay all help us find a way to make the best choice for us and our morals. They all want us to define the problem, and develop the choices that we have for handling this problem. Also, all three models have us look at the pros, cons, and consequences for each choice. In the end, each model has us decide which choice is best based on the information we had previously looked and found. Although the three models have similarities, they are also very different. The Six Thinking Hats and the Rational Decision Making Model both have six steps, but the GREAT Decision Making model only has five steps. The GREAT Decision Making Model has s thnking over the choice we made at the end, while neither of the other ones have us reflecting on what we decided. The Six Thinking Hats model is also rather confusing to follow. The steps never clearly seem to describe what you should do when you are stuck with a problem. This model is meant for a group situation where everyone is able to say what they would like without running the risk of offending another member of the conversation. This aspect of the model differs from the others because it is a group decision making model. I assume that you can do the whole process on your own, but it is more effective with other members.
Personally, I view the GREAT Decision Making Model to be the most effective and easiest to use. This model is so much easier to remember compared to the other two models that I found. You have an acronym sitting in front of you, detailing the steps you must make to come up with the best and, hopefully, right choice to your problem. I also feel that the model is easiest to understand how to use, and is a good tool for teenagers.
