Decision Making & Problem Solving Flashcards

A coaching client must choose between two strong job candidates and feels stuck. Which question best supports client-led decision making?

Answer: 'What criteria matter most to you, and how does each candidate measure against them?'

Asking the client to articulate criteria keeps ownership with the client and structures the decision.

Which term describes the tendency of a team to suppress dissent and converge prematurely on a decision to preserve harmony?

Answer: Groupthink

Groupthink occurs when the desire for group harmony overrides realistic appraisal of alternatives.

In a SWOT analysis used for strategic decision making, which pair represents internal factors?

Answer: Strengths and weaknesses

Strengths and weaknesses are internal to the organization, while opportunities and threats are external.

A client makes rushed, low-quality choices at the end of long workdays. What concept best explains this pattern?

Answer: Decision fatigue

Decision fatigue is the decline in decision quality after making many decisions over an extended period.

Which brainstorming ground rule most increases the quantity and creativity of ideas generated?

Answer: Defer judgment and criticism until after idea generation

Deferring judgment encourages free idea flow, which is the foundation of productive brainstorming.

What does the 'Pareto principle' suggest when a coach helps a client prioritize business problems?

Answer: Roughly 80% of effects come from 20% of causes, so focus on the vital few

The Pareto principle directs attention to the small subset of causes producing most of the impact.

A client fears making the 'wrong' decision and demands certainty before acting. What is the most effective coaching reframe?

Answer: Explore acceptable risk and what a reversible first step could look like

Reframing toward acceptable risk and reversible steps helps clients act despite inherent uncertainty.