making better decisions - 14. Simulation of the decision-making environment
Dealing with Difficult People
This email is one in a series on decision-making. The first one is an introduction to the series.
14. Simulation of the decision-making environment
One of the surprise teaching methods I encountered at business school was the business simulation game. These work individually or in groups, and provide opportunities to explore the impact of different decisions on business outcomes. There is also the opportunity to reflect on how people from different areas of a business have different priorities and emphases.
Working with a simulation provides opportunities to kick the tyres of what you're learning without the risk of adverse consequences (all for the cost of the time spent in the simulation).
Reading some of the research findings around one of the simulations showed another set of benefits of simulations: it's possible to see how a particular team functions in their decision making process (the article linked talks about the impact of cultural background on decision-making approach).
In a lot of situations, you will not easily be able to find a simulation off the shelf that's a perfect fit (e.g. there doesn't seem to be much available in the not-for-profit space), but it would be possible to head in that direction by looking at a more generic simulation, but then having your whole team running through it and sharing their experiences and insights.
Have you ever used a simulation tool to help with your decision-making?