Decisions Often Mix Intangibles and Facts

Life would be a whole lot simpler if all decisions were made in an entirely objective manner. Selecting between alternatives would be clear cut. However, many decisions are also influenced by intangibles such as reputation, "chemistry", relationships and/or politics. If you have any doubt about this, consider that Beats headphones radically outsell technically superior alternatives like Bose or Sennheiser. And good luck trying to sort out which factors ultimately decided the recent U.S. Presidential election results.

Each of us has likely experienced instances where a particular solution is embraced by a champion and because of this individual's personal investment in it, he/she is disinclined to seriously consider alternatives, even potentially superior ones. Is this a sensible practice? No, but it is an understandable and surprisingly common one nonetheless.

We all know that relationship building is integral to successful selling efforts. People will embrace or reject a given solution based upon whether or not they personally like and or trust the solution provider or even other persons involved in the decision making. I'm not saying that people will make bad decisions based on personal preferences (although, this does occur). Instead, I am suggesting that the technical distinctions between choices may often not be great, and strength of relationships can serve as a "tie breaker".

In group situations, we may need to reach a consensus decision. In these instances, we should prepare ourselves to thoroughly and knowledgeably discuss the topic and to debate the various options. We should expect that decisions and choices may be, and quite probably will be decided based on a combination of subjective and objective factors.

I realize that some people may be disillusioned (if not entirely surprised) to learn that corporate decision making can and often is influenced by factors other than the individual options' relative merits. Knowing that this dynamic is likely going to be part of the mix in any decision-making situation should encourage each of us to prepare before engaging with others. This should include researching intangibles that can be in play in the background of what we might otherwise expect would be an objective assessment processes.

"Connecting You With The Right Solutions" BFS Innovations, Inc.

Since 2005, BFS Innovations has helped its Fortune 500 clients with technology scouting, new business creation and business development services. Contact Michael today at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or at 614 937-2408 to discuss your company's needs.