The Importance of Defining a Problem Statement for Decision Making

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The creators of the 'Great Mental Models' books wanted to make big ideas accessible outside of their original context. They then developed the course 'Decision by Design' to teach practical tools for decision-making. One important tool is separating problem definition from problem solution in meetings. They believe that the person making the decision should come up with the problem statement, ensuring accountability and a deeper understanding of the problem.

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Shane Parrish (@ShaneAParrish) is the entrepreneur and wisdom seeker behind Farnam Street and the host of The Knowledge Project podcast, where he focuses on mastering the best of what other people have already figured out. Shane's popular online course, Decision by Design, has helped thousands of executives, leaders, and managers around the world learn the repeatable behaviors that improve results. His work has been featured in nearly every major publication, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Forbes.

Shane is the author of Clear Thinking: Turning Ordinary Moments into Extraordinary Results.

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[05:43] The Stopwatch Gang influences a D student.

[10:54] How a low-grade troublemaker gets vetted for an intelligence job.

[17:23] The impact of frequent relocation on a child.

[21:33] The benefits of a challenging education (once the tears dry up).

[31:09] From 68131-1440.blogger dot com to Farnam Street.

[36:10] An early exploration of cognitive biases.

[39:39] "Ordinary moments determine your position, and your position determines your options."

[45:55] Incisive, deliberate decision-makers.

[47:44] Defining mental models.

[50:47] The declaration of platform independence.

[52:50] A Farnam Street business breakdown.

[56:05] Scrutinizing the problem statement.