W.I.S.E. Choices at Work: Go From doubting to DECISIVE when the clock is ticking Paperback – October 6, 2023

In our obscenely busy world, any attempt to take time to “think things through” is met with the automated, ubiquitous response of – “We don’t have time.” In response, Dan has written a “tight brief” of proven steps to get W.I.S.E choices - while - managing our time constraints.Dan guides us through how to think deliberately with succinct, usable information. Beginning with Kahneman’s System 1 and 2 thinking, Dan has highlighted how important it is to consciously choose how we think. He has sifted through nearly 200 cognitive biases and gives us 4 critical ones that make a difference to our decision making. This is followed by a crisp description of constructive steps to take in commonly experienced decision-making situations.Reading W.I.S.E. Making Choices at Work gives us a pragmatic map to follow allowing us to choose the right step at the right time.Mark Jewell

This book is full of easy to implement decision making tools. Things that fit in real life. Tried and true. Appreciate Dan taking the time to get this stuff out in book format so it can be easily shared. Bought a copy for my team’s VP!

I know I never thought about decision making processes, either specifically or generally. The author skillfully presents an easy to understand approach to decision I'm making along with relevant illustrations.

A five-star review should be reserved for the absolute best of the best, the rare book that blows me away while I am reading it and convinces me to keep it within arm’s reach for future consultation. Dan Kowalski’s W.I.S.E Choices at Work delivers! Don’t get me wrong: this is a business book at its core, and as such, I wasn’t looking for blockbuster entertainment. But I did want to be engaged, and I wanted to learn something useful in the process. Bull's eye! The author’s casual, almost folksy writing style sucked me in from chapter one, and before I knew it, I was scribbling pages upon pages of notes for future use at my own job. Overall, the WISE approach–each letter represents a key ingredient for decision making–brings a unique perspective to making effective decisions in today’s work world DESPITE a lack of time and an overabundance of information. The advice is simple yet practical, unlike many business books, and I even found myself reconsidering recent decisions in light of this WISE approach. For example, the book outlines a concept dubbed the “five minute question,” an intentionally time-boxed approach to evaluate the current state of a decision… and more importantly, how to proceed given the conditions surrounding the decision. I used this approach to generate a few “five minute questions” that I’ll be posing to my team in the future. WISE Choices at Work is full of gems like the “five minute question,” and what’s more, lays out a simple process for quickly determining the level of time and energy I should invest in any given decision. To put it as simply as I can: if you want to improve your own decision making or you’re looking to level up your team’s critical thinking prowess, this is the book to read. You’ll be engaged from the jump, and what’s more, you’ll be a better decision maker.

As a practitioner, the signs of a good techniques book are how dog-eared the pages are, how close at hand it is, how many times it has survived a move. A good techniques book sometimes provides a how to recipe, sometimes a few ideas on how to proceed, sometimes good questions to ask, and sometimes confidence that the approach I’m taking is sound. I like authors who are talking to me, helping me solve the problem in front of me. This is a good techniques book.

I didn’t realise how many routine decision I was making, following old rules, or deciding by reflex. It all seemed good enough. Why shouldn’t I? I was in survival time saving mode.“You can always find time to ask one question. This is all you need to assess whether you are making a W.I.S.E. choice” as the author said, it takes only 5 minutes to help focus on the right assessment of the questions, and to evaluate the risk of the solution being wrong.The assessment of the downside of a decision in chapter 5, especially with the Pre Mortem exercise, was eye opening for me, as it helps prevention. I was always glancing over that!I now us this W.I.S.E. method to take 5 min to ask the right questions, look at the downsides and the do nothing option, and work through the various possibilities. Special thanks for organising the book in chapters related to the number of options we have (none, one, two, three or more) and the time available to decide (5 min, 1 hour or 1 day). A very efficient way to focalise and reduce the stress of deciding how to start deciding.I would recommend you make the decision to buy this book, to make your decision process less of a knee jerk habit.

Dan Kowalski's "W.I.S.E. Choices at Work: Go from doubting to DECISIVE when the clock is ticking" delivers on its promise to transform the reader's decision-making approach, especially in high-pressure situations. One of the standout features of the book are the well-designed flowcharts. They not only make it easier to grasp complex concepts but also guide the reader seamlessly through Kowalski's logical progression. His refreshing take on the commonly used 2x2 matrix is an eye-opener, shedding light on the pitfalls of oversimplified, black and white thinking that can often stem from traditional 2x2s.But it's not just theory; Dan brings the concepts down to ground level, offering practical solutions that cater to both time-crunched professionals and those who can spare a bit more time for decision-making. It's this adaptability and real-world applicability that make "W.I.S.E. Choices at Work" a valuable addition to any professional's reading list. Whether you're a seasoned decision-maker or just stepping into the realm of professional choices, Dan's insights are bound to resonate and equip you for success.

Dan's no nonsense style and years of experience show through in this book. It's simple, easy to read yet has enough insight and examples to delight even the most experienced corporate leader.

Dan’s book is nothing short of a mind-expanding gem. It's not just about what to think, it's about how to think. It challenges our instinctual impulses and urges us to adopt a more systematic approach to our decision-making process.The notion of 'gut feeling' decision-making has always been the default for many of us. This instinctive nature, however, has often led us astray, pushing us down paths not fully explored, not thoroughly examined. Dan challenges this instinctive methodology with a refreshing approach that encourages critical thinking and introspection.Chapter two, in particular, stood out as an absolute masterclass in decision-making. The methodology offered is not merely about finding answers, but about properly understanding the question itself. Dan compels us to dissect our problems, to peel back the layers of complexity, and distill them to their essence. This process, as Dan masterfully demonstrates, often makes the 'right' decision self-evident.The greatest part about this book is its practicality - it's not abstract or aloof, it's down-to-earth and something you can apply in your everyday professional and personal life.

I have a handful of books close to my desk that I regularly refer to and recommend to others. This book will be joining this exclusive collection. Full of practical advice to help you make better decisions, big or small.In my work as The Software Adoption Doctor, Chapter 6 (Wow! We have LOTS of options, now what?) particularly resonated with me. This chapter offers a straightforward process to help you evaluate your options without becoming overwhelmed. In my experience, many organisations think they have only one option when choosing a technology supplier (often the leading brand or the one their biggest competitor uses). Fortunately, after reading chapter 4 of Dan’s awesome book (We only have one option! YAY?), they will quickly find that this isn’t case and end up at chapter 6.Throughout the book Dan reinforces the importance of documenting the decision-making process. Not something I see people do very often but this information can be like gold dust when trying to get buy-in from others, particularly those who weren’t directly involved in the decision-making process.