Thought Leadership
Program Titles
- Myths That Kill Strategic Planning
- Dealing with Change
- Confessions of a Motivational Speaker
- Make Decisions Faster
- Decision Making How It Works
Nick Tasler is an acclaimed thought leader, organizational psychologist, and author of four counter-intuitive books on the art and science of making decisions and leading change. From the storefronts to the C-suites — whether you sell software or soft drinks —
Invigorated by a fresh outlook; connected by a shared language; and armed with practical tools, your audience will be ready to cut through the chaos with a laser-like focus on organizational objectives, team priorities, and personal growth opportunities.
The Year of Wonders message elevates the mood of the meeting and transforms the thinking of its participants. Hand-wringing uncertainties morph into eye-opening discoveries. Crippling fears become frontiers to explore and dreams to fulfill.
Nick’s message on how our brains are wired to use change and disruption to unleash growth is the perfect way to kick off your meeting.
At a crossroads in your career or your business?
Are you thinking of making a radical change?
Or maybe you want to bounce a new idea off an objective outsider…who also happens to be an expert on decision-making?
Whether your issue is strategic or personal, he is here to help.
Busy leaders know how important it is to make good decisions fast, day after day.
The challenge is how?
How do you distinguish between “good enough” and “totally wrong”?
How much time can elapse before “fast” becomes “slow?”
Hours? … Days? … Months?
A simple, flexible Know-Think-Do framework can enable leaders and their teams to make these quick and roughly right decisions immediately.
1. Know the ultimate strategic objective.
The biggest hurdle to fast and roughly right decisions is criteria overload. Trying to weigh every possible objective and consideration from every potential stakeholder shoots the decision process in the foot before you even get off the starting line. Of the seven or eight achievable goals you would love to meet with this single decision, which one or two will make the most significant positive impact?
Of all the possible stakeholders, which one do you least want to disappoint, and what objective do they care most about?
2. Think about how your options align with the ultimate objective.
Most judgment errors can be eliminated simply by broadening our frame of reference. The quickest, easiest, most effective way to do this is by “consulting an Anti-You” before you make every decision. As one banking executive explained, “It’s amazing how many poor decisions can be avoided simply by asking one other for their opinion.” Empirical research backs up his observation.
They are consulting anti-you works in two ways. First, explaining your situation to another person often gives you new insights about the decision before the other person even responds. And the fresh perspective they offer in response is the second bonus.
3. Do something with that knowledge and those thoughts.
After you’ve clearly defined the primary strategic objectives and laid out your research and thinking with one or two key Anti-You’s, it’s time to call it quits on all the planning, strategizing, number-crunching, and critical thinking. You must select one option while letting go of all the other “good” options. It is helpful to remember that “perfect” options are a myth in the real world. Decision-making will always be an exercise in coping with an unknowable future. No deliberation can guarantee that you have identified the “right” option.
The purpose of a decision is not to find the perfect option. Instead, the purpose of a decision is to get you to the next decision.
What makes the Know-Think-Do framework particularly powerful for organizations ranging from tiny startups to behemoth banks and software makers is its scalability across every level of an organizational hierarchy. For example, a “fast and good enough decision” might mean two weeks for the division heads at a Fortune 500 bank to decide how to remain competitive while also being compliant with new government regulations. Or “fast and good enough” might mean no more than 20-30 minutes for sales managers at the same bank’s commercial lending team in Chicago trying to make a customer account decision.
Regardless of where or how big you are, this framework enables all corners of an org chart to share a common language and approach for making sound, timely decisions. So get started.
Nick’s original insights and dynamic style have benefited the world’s most respected organizations ranging from General Electric, Microsoft, JP Morgan, Novo Nordisk, Wells Fargo, the Royal Bank of Canada, and UnitedHealth Group to the Wharton School, Yale University, and many more.
He is a writer for the Harvard Business Review. The New York Times, Bloomberg Business Week, The Atlantic, Inc., U.S. News & World Report, The Financial Times, Fox Business, Forbes, NPR, the BBC, NBC, ABC, and CBS.
“Nick “tills the soil” in your people’s minds so that when you drop the seeds of your plans or your new strategy, those seeds will fall on fertile ground.”
“Incredibly engaging…challenged the audience and captured their attention uniquely and excitingly.”
“It blew my mind! I honestly cannot believe how customized that was.”
“Connecting with a primarily international audience is no easy task, but Nick nailed it.”
“Outstanding speaker! Compelling stories, insightful questions, and lots of food for thought.”
“Two years after Nick’s talk, I’m still amazed at how genuinely transformational it was for our division.”
Books by Nick Tasler
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