Common Characteristics of Poor Decision Making

LaToya M. Lyons

BUS670: Legal Environment

Ethics in Action

Instructor: Jennifer Stephens

October 15, 2012

Common Characteristics of Poor Decision Making

Every day, whether at home, at the office, or just out driving, we are faced with all kinds of decisions. There are different factors that help guide us with our decisions. Some of the decisions we make are good, some are bad, and some are down right poor. The good decisions are the most helpful ones, but the poor decisions are the ones that gets us into trouble. According to Mallor, Barnes, Browers, & Langvardt (2010), there are three common characteristics of poor decision making: failing to remember goals, overconfidence, and complexity of the issues.

We are all human so we are prone to forgetting things. Once of the most important thing that we tend to forget is remembering goals. Majority of the time it is at the work place. For example, I am an elementary school substitute teacher. Some of the goals inside the classroom include maintaining discipline, improving productivity and social skills as well as keeping up to date with advancements in technology and other areas that are changing the field of elementary education. I love kids and often times I find myself playing loud with the kids and do not be maintaining discipline in the class.

“While confidence is a personal trait essential to success, overconfidence or over optimism is one of the most common reasons for bad decisions” (Mallor, Barnes, Browers, & Langvardt, 2010). Some times it is good to be overconfident, but when that overconfidence affects your work, then it is a major problem. Most people who are overconfident are the ones who can’t be told anything. That person thinks they know what they are doing. Not only do they harm themselves, but others as well.

“Closely aligned to and aggravated by overconfidence is the failure of decision makers to understand the complexity of an issue” (Mallor, Barnes, Browers, & Langvardt, 2010)....