Decision-makingSTORY JESSICA MUDDITTDECISIVEACTIONSTRATEGIC CAREER MOVESBeing bold and decisive at work can be key tocareer satisfaction and success. Going with theflow can lead to dissatisfaction and cause projectsto stray off course, say workplace experts.64DEC 2022JAN 2023INTHEBLACK CAREER, ELEVATED SPECIAL EDITIONDecide, don’t slide is advice typicallygiven to people stuck in stagnatingromantic relationships, but it is equallyrelevant to careers. It is all too easyto move from one project to the nextwithout stepping back to evaluate thebigger picture and addressing feelings ofunhappiness. Those who constantly slideat work or at home run the risk of wakingup one day and realising that life hasbeen unfulfilling.In Logan Ury’s bestselling book Howto Not Die Alone, the dating coach andbehavioural scientist highlights researchthat shows that couples who make aconscious decision to commit or break upare happier than those who coast.Ury, director of relationship science atdating app Hinge, previously led Google’sbehavioural science team. She contendsthat data-driven relationship science alsoapplies to professional relationships andachieving success at work.If that is the case, how can we applyrelationship science ideas at work?FIND MEANINGFUL BENCHMARKSIn Ury’s view, the “secretary problem”behavioural science riddle proves true. Ifa company is hiring a secretary and thereare 100 applicants, they should interview37 per cent of them and identify who isthe best. That person is the “meaningfulbenchmark”, and the next interviewee whoseems even better should be hired.Ury says it works the same way withromance: those who date between the agesof 18 and 40 have dated 37 per cent of thepeople they will ever date by the age of26. Their best ex-partner at the age of 26is their meaningful benchmark. The nextperson they date who is an improvementon the meaningful benchmark is who theyshould choose as their life partner.However, most of us would balk at theidea of using this life-changing strategy,even if it seems to be the right one.Most of us are inclined to stick withthe status quo, says Kathryn MacMillan,managing director of CIRCLERecruitment and HR.
