Prejudice.

'In order to put prejudice aside it is first necessary to acknowledge it.'

- Her Honour Judge Braddock SC

The Fourth Step in the Five Steps to a Good Decision is to Check for Bias.

Each step in the Good Decision Making process is a forcing function. It compels us to pay attention to information that we might otherwise skip over or overlook or assume.

A good boss has her finger on the pulse. She knows her people. She knows her Widget. She knows the imperfections in each. It is impossible for her to not have an opinion. She could get away like most with making decisions on instinct.

The good boss also knows her own imperfections. The better she gets at decision making, the more conscious she becomes of her fallibility. [A great way to tell a good boss from a boss.]

In her Fourth Step, the good boss pays attention to her thoughts. She may even invite others to listen to her speak them. Has she pre-judged her decision?

[A good boss is a teacher. The Five Steps make visible her thinking for the benefit of others.]

As with the First Step, the Fourth Step allows the decision maker to acknowledge the imperfections that make her human. Her biases that may not serve her Widget.

In doing so, she invites those around her to do likewise. To be themselves.

The flaws that allow her to become who she is - free others to do the same.

The steps to a good decision elevate us - and those around us - beyond the decision. It quickly disappears in the distance as we continue our journey to become who we are.