Making good decisions
Looking back, I can see that a few key decisions have had a major impact in my life.
Living on a boat, we make decisions that affect us everyday, and these decisions are more frequent, and their effects are amplified. A bad decision could cost lives. At best you get lucky and a bad decision doesn't lead to any loss. So you need to develop good decision making skills.
Yesterday was another example. New Zealand - already in covid lockdown - went into Tsunami alert. Anchored in Mahurangi harbour, we had another decision to make.
Abandon the boat and head for a Tsunami evacuation zone.
Head up river.
Stay put.
Head out to sea.
Sailing friends on their own boats, have their own decision to make. Civil defense, harbour master, or coast guard. no matter who offers advice, they are not the one making the decision, and while good intentioned will not live with the consequences. Decisions you make about the boat are entirely your call.
We already learned this lesson about good intentioned advice when transiting the Panama canal. The canal advisor could tell you anything. They could change their mind in five minutes, or be entirely wrong. They give advise, but you make the decision, and you are the one that will live with the consequences of following bad advice.
Does anyone remember the childhood excuse "But he told me to do it", and the classic reply?
"And would you jump off a cliff if he told you to?"
So advice can be bad advice. Whether it is followed or not it is ultimately the skipper that decides what a boat will do. If it doesn't look good to you, don't do it!
I mentioned earlier that decisions on a boat are more frequent and their effects amplified.
That's good news if you want to sharpen your decision making skills.
Unlike decisions in everyday life, the outcome of your decisions on a boat are more immediately felt, and so experience can be a sharp teacher.
Every time you succeed or fail you learn a little. Plus, you won't survive long on a boat by frequently making poor decisions.
So how do you get good at making good decisions on a boat? The following article outlines the five steps you need for good decision making in general. They are:
Identify the goals,
Gather information,
Assessment,
Decision,
Review.
In case you are wondering what we did about the Tsunami warning, we checked in with the harbour master and headed for deeper water. We returned to the harbour only once we received the all clear on the radio and we were sure the danger had passed.
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