Whilst stretching my arms out of their sockets to reach beyond my pregnant belly to the keyboard, I bring you my latest ponderings on decision making and tolerance of ambiguity.

Being a fanatical planner, it's killing me not knowing if it's going to be a boy or a girl. All those decisions that must stay on hold until the big event - names, nursery décor, clothes……. Even though a scan predicted a girl, I pessimistically believe I'll be one of the 10% that get a false prediction.

So, I made myself re-read a hidden gem of an article called Managing Ambiguity - dealing successfully with uncertain situations. Reminding myself of the simple formula about Anxiety being equal to Uncertainty times the Importance has helped lower my stress levels. Much of life involves ambiguity and uncertainty, and keeping a handle on what you can and can't control is a secret to good mental health.

Back in the work arena, I've been coaching a new manager on how to make decisions. A useful technique to develop new thinking styles is to use Edward De Bono's Six Hats Thinking, which forces you to consider solutions from different perspectives. For the more seasoned managers out there, it's just as valuable, as it can be used to break habitual thinking styles.

To complement the Six Hats Thinking is a short article on How to Do Cost Benefit Analysis. Some people would rather run a mile than run a few calculations about the costs, and benefits of a project. Save yourself time and money by spending, saving and generating money on paper BEFORE you commit to the real thing.

So wish me luck, and be curious about my imminent site re-design, new free downloadable decision making tool and of course, whether it's a boy or a girl!

Warm Regards

Lyndsay Swinton
www.mftrou.com

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1. Managing Ambiguity - dealing successfully with uncertain situations
Managing Ambiguity - if something is uncertain and important, it can create much anxiety. Learn how to manage ambiguity effectively.

2. How to Make Decisions: Six Hats Thinking
The Six Hats Thinking technique enables you to break out of your habitual thinking style and make better quality decisions. Learn how to look at the effect of a decision from a number of important, different perspectives, and modifying your decision accordingly.

3. How to Make Decisions: How to Do a Cost Benefit Analysis In 3 Easy Steps
Money makes the world go around, and decision making is no exception. Cost Benefit Analysis does exactly what it says; you analyse costs and benefits and make a decision accordingly. Learn how to do a cost benefit analysis in these 3 easy steps.

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