Dear Readers, at the outset, let me wish all of you a Happy Diwali. May the festival of lights bring you health & happiness. I sincerely hope there will be more light than noise. Delhi and other places are reeling under air pollution. Let us hope that the fumes and smoke of crackers will not aggravate it. Overseas readers and others who are unfamiliar with the significance of Diwali or Deepavali may use this link to learn more or refresh their understanding of Diwali: 🔗Why Is Deepavali or Diwali Celebrated and What Is Its Significance?
FC 169 was appreciated by many readers.
I was thrilled to get comments from Mr. K G Raghavan, Senior Advocate. Commenting on change, he says: “Change is welcome. But not change for change's sake. Change must be for the better. Behind every change, there is an eternal, unchanging set of values. That should not be lost sight of. Old roots with new shoots make the tree beautiful.”
Rita Kapur says: “I just love this writing. You do come up with interesting stuff and points to ponder over. One needs to make a change to rest, especially after a long hectic summer holiday spent with lovely grandchildren. Let's see when I decide to get back to reality.”
Krupa Murthy Says: “FC breaks the monotony, bringing joy and CHANGE that one needs to a mundane routine! Bless you, Prasanna.”
Lakshmi Raman says: “I opened Filter Coffee this morning and read what you've written with zest. Some things not changing are welcome, though a change is as good as a rest.”
Tarun Kunzru says: “Nice read, Pras! Change has an element of mystery which makes it exciting and adventurous. As we get older, we can't undo a bad change, so tend to play it safe. Our excitement comes from seeing change in physical and material terms around us, realising through this that the basic principles and values of life never change. The ten demons we try to conquer remain a battle, generation after generation. Therefore, the relevance of Dussehra. Happy festival season!!”
Tapas Bhattasaly says: “Change is awesome, but be firm on your principles and respect others’ too, before changing what you do or believe in. Mr JRD Tata lost his favourite pen and felt the loss childlike. Mr J J Irani found an identical pen when it was given to JRD, for a moment he believed that it was one that he had lost but then realised that it was not, and politely gave it back. Accepting it would have compromised his principle of not accepting any gift from a fellow officer.”
💭 Analysis Paralysis
In FC 164 I wrote about the phrase “Good is Better Than Perfect”. If you missed it, please use this link to read: 🔗Filter Coffee #164 - by M R Prasanna. The subject of the current post seems like an extension of that phrase, but is in fact different, as you will see when you read along.
Analysis paralysis (also known as paralysis by analysis) is a process whereby a problem or a situation is overanalyzed or overthought to such an extent that no solution is found. In other words, the decision-making process is paralyzed. The fear of failure or the fear of unknown factors may completely cloud the mind of the decision maker who suffers brain fatigue and either gives up or tries to pass the problem to someone who is willing to decide, braving the consequences.
The contrasting process of decision-making may involve rashness, blind belief, haste and impulse. A decision taken hastily may have the same outcome as the indecision resulting from over-analysing. This process of ‘haste makes waste’ is captured by the phrase ‘extinct by instinct’.
So, is indecision better than a hasty decision? At first blush, it may appear so to some. I am inclined to believe that a hasty decision taken in a given context may have bombed, but it nevertheless counts for experience. Overanalysing and leaving a matter undecided could frustrate you and rob you of the experience of a failed attempt, which could perhaps lead you to make another attempt.
Take another aspect of decision-making. Suppose a person has dealt with a situation in a particular manner many times over. In that case, he is most likely to be blind sided by changed circumstances and continue to believe that his way of doing is perfect. The phrase ‘utopia myopia’ is about believing in a way of doing as the best, ignoring the unfavourable factors that loom large.
The fable of ‘The Fox & the Cat’ illustrates the point that in times of threat, one trick can prove more effective than many options. The fox and the cat stick together and roam around the forest. The fox keeps telling the cat how it can run in different ways and mocks the cat that it knows only one way, i.e. jump onto a tree. When hunters come with their dogs, the cat jumps onto a tree, but the fox runs helter-skelter but eventually falls prey.
Analysis paralysis can occur when one has before him or her many perspectives, options or opinions, whether solicited or unsolicited. Imagine yourself wanting to buy the shares of a company which has made a public offering. You ask for guidance from people who you think are knowledgeable, and you get different viewpoints. Some of them also point you to the risk factors. All of this leaves you befuddled, and you end up not investing, only to realise a few months later that you missed a good opportunity. I recall a conversation I had with one of my colleagues. Thirty years after Infosys got listed, he still rues the fact that he got confusing opinions and did not invest in the IPO.
This leads me to think of another dimension. Paralysis by third-party analysis. Your decision to do something is stymied by the analysis of others of the various aspects, real or imaginary, and you end up doing nothing. Multiple opinions throw up multiple choices. You end up evaluating all of them and do nothing, thus becoming a victim of choice paralysis.
In corporate circles, it is not uncommon to have confusion confounding the decision-makers. Too many opinions but no solution in sight. Sometimes they are unable to identify the problem or refuse to accept that there is a problem. This is what I alluded to in my post “Elephant in the Room”. Please read, if you wish, using this link: 🔗Filter Coffee #159 - by M R Prasanna
You can afford to be tense about making decisions in the present, but thinking of the consequences will make the future tense! The decision takes a back seat. Collecting more and more data and spending too much time thinking of potentially negative outcomes may force a person to postpone decision-making, leading to analysis paralysis.
Golf is a game where any amount of analysis won’t help you play the next shot right. Yes, it may go to the right or left, if the club comes in contact with the ball, that is. The par score is very elusive and when you manage to get it you should simply enjoy the moment and not expect history to repeat. I recall this one-liner which sums up the uncertainties of Golf: Golf can best be defined as an endless series of tragedies obscured by the occasional miracle.
I hear that a lot of cricketers have taken to golf, and I wonder if that’s the reason for borrowing the par-score concept to decide how many runs will be par-score for a given pitch.
While playing at the ASC course today a distinguished gentleman with the bearing of a disciplined officer mistook me to be an ex-serviceman, but quickly introduced himself as Cdr. Santhanam and when I introduced myself he exclaimed “Oh! You are the one who posts a blog every Sunday! I enjoy reading it,” He made my day and while savouring that moment of recognition, I hit the ball right into the water. Pen may be mightier than sword, but not the unforgiving golf club.
Analysis paralysis is no joke, and I too am unable to joke about it. But I found this one which sums it up. Until next Sunday, take care and be safe. Ciao.
On yr Analysis, paralysis, my take...
If one were to draw an analogy in chemistry, no decision, right level of analysis, and excessive analysis would correspond to unsaturation, saturation and super saturation! 😊
Just as super saturation is a waste most often, excessive analysis is also waste. But unlike in super saturation, where u can see it, to see that point of excess isnt easy in decsion making in real life situations.
One needs to make decisions.Even not taking a decision or conscioysly delaying one, is a decision!! That level of excess may be difft from perspective of decision maker n others. Better that the decision maker stops at that level of excess from HIS / HER OWN perspective n not let self be confused by others. And thats taking OWNERSHIP for ones decisions. No paralysis! 😀
Complexity of options slows down the process and criticality/risk of outcome can almost freeze the decision making process. The disruption of the immediate future is uncomfortable as compared to the comfort of 'now'. Slow death goes unnoticed which often leads to postponement of hard decision. In corporate life, I have seen how people have paid a price for the right hard decision and subsequent people in the role have benefitted from it.
In strategic matters it's good to aim aim aim and then shoot. In day to day operations, it's sometimes OK to shoot and then aim!!