What would you decide?
The pretty picture above is the view seen from my current house that I moved in recently so that it helps in the recovery of my ailing mother-better sunlight better ventilation and a quieter location away from the hustle bustle of Bangalore City. Its a nice looking lake and a reserve forest area behind a cute looking railway track. The earlier home that I lived last 20 years in the older part of Bangalore was the center of the hustle bustle and what seemed convenient earlier when your children are growing up and you are working now seems like a problem. You now think its crowded, buildings all over, noisy, polluted etc.
System 1 thinking swiftly labeled the new house as the ideal solution – a serene haven compared to the chaos of the past. However, delving into the situation with System 2 thinking revealed a web of complexities:
The human mind is a complex realm of rapid judgments and deliberate analysis, often exemplified by System 1 and System 2 thinking. These cognitive systems play a pivotal role in decision-making, especially in intricate scenarios where quick impressions might overshadow deeper analysis.
In my case:
1. The distance from key city locations and customer offices added significant travel time, turning routine errands into day-long endeavors due to traffic hot spots and the absence of metro connectivity.
2. Transitioning from owning a house to paying almost a six-figure rent does seem like a bad idea.
3. Festivities like Diwali, Ganesh Chathruthi(4 days), Dasera(10 days), Rajyothsava, New year eve, or even world cup cricket days brought unwelcome disruptions with noise from the society gatherings behind our place and the annual airshow’s aircraft sorties, disrupting the calmness.
4. Furthermore, the absence of a familiar social circle for my mother in the new neighborhood added to the complexity.
The deeper analysis painted a more nuanced picture. What seemed like a straightforward solution at first now appeared multifaceted and intricate. The initial impression of tranquility was overshadowed by various challenges that needed consideration.
This dichotomy of thinking systems emphasizes the importance of pausing assumptions and seeking additional information. System 1 thinking provides rapid judgments based on intuitive impressions, while System 2 thinking involves a deliberate, analytical approach.
In this case, System 2 thinking unveiled crucial elements overlooked initially. What if I gave some additional information that one of my sisters lives close by to the new house and my mother’s hospital is 5 min away,both significantly contribute to my mother’s well-being.
So now what is your decision going to be?…….
McKinsey rightly emphasizes the significance of problem-solving skills, recognizing the need to navigate through the complexities of real-world dilemmas effectively. Effective problem-solving requires the utilization of both rapid intuition and deliberate analysis, ensuring a holistic understanding and thoughtful resolution of multifaceted problems. Aarumbh focuses on these skills.
Co Founder Aarumbh,Former India Head Oracle Consulting,Leadership Coach, Start up Mentor,Breathwork Practitioner