We each have to make thousands of decisions every day—what to wear, which route to take, what to eat for lunch, which books to read. When you’re writing a book, you can expect to add another hundred decisions to your day. What time of day should I write? Should I research more or dive into writing the content? Should I edit as I go or finish the whole draft first?
While making decisions is often tough, it can be easier when you know what kind of decision maker you are. With this knowledge, you can gain insight into the kinds of decisions you are probably going to make in the future, and find your most efficient path forward.
In episode #114 of The Author’s Corner, Robin is joined by Cheryl Strauss Einhorn, who has identified five decision maker types, which she calls Problem Solver Profiles (PSPs). We discuss the strengths and weaknesses of each one, and how you can use them, not only to make better decisions, but also to strengthen your personal and professional relationships. Cheryl also shares how your PSP can relate to problems you encounter in writing.
Key takeaways:
- How to know if your inner voice is lying to you
- The truth behind our cognitive biases
- The five Problem Solver Profiles and examples of how they manifest in the real world
- How knowing these profiles can build stronger relationships
- How to hunt like a cheetah
- Why Cheryl went from journalist to entrepreneur
- And more!
Resources mentioned in this episode:
- Cheryl’s Tedx Talk: When Your Inner Voice Lies to You
- Cheryl’s books
- The AREA Method
- AREA Cheetah Sheets
About Cheryl Strauss Einhorn:
Cheryl Strauss Einhorn is the founder of Decisive, a decision sciences company that trains people and teams in complex problem solving and decision-making skills using the AREA Method. AREA is an evidence-based decision-making system that uniquely controls for and counters cognitive bias to expand knowledge while improving judgment. Cheryl developed AREA during her two decades as an award-winning investigative journalist writing for publications ranging from The New York Times and Foreign Policy Magazine to The Stanford Social Innovation Review. Cheryl teaches at Cornell University and has authored three books Problem Solved: A Powerful System for Making Complex Decisions with Confidence and Conviction, about personal and professional decision-making, and Investing In Financial Research: A Decision-Making System for Better Results about financial and investment decisions. Her new book about Problem Solver Profiles, Problem Solver: Maximizing Your Strengths To Make Better Decisions, was released in March 2023.
