https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Take the Right Decision at the Right Time Applying These Four Models

IAS officer Divya Mittal gives tips on decision making through four models used by stalwarts. She holds up models used by Jeff Bezos, Charlie Munger, Elon Musk and former US President Eisenhower. Se says such frameworks can help us in making better decisions.
Indian Masterminds Stories

It is said when you make the right decision, it doesn’t really matter what anyone else thinks. So it is when it comes to making the right career choices. Be it UPSC or any other competitive exam, making the right choice is of utmost importance.

But, it is not so easy. How does one make up one’s mind for the right thing? 2013-batch IAS officer of UP cadre and DM of Mirzapur, Ms. Divya Mittal, explains how, on a Twitter thread, with four decision models used by four stalwarts – Jeff Bezos, Charlie Munger, Elon Musk and former US President Eisenhower.

IAS officer Divya Mittal

REVERSIBILITY: JEFF BEZOS
She starts off her thread with the model from Amazon founder Jeff Bezos – the Reversibility model.
“Categorizes decisions based on whether they are reversible or irreversible
Reversible – 2 way door: Can go back from decision with less/no cost
Irreversible – 1 way door: If enter once, can’t exit (Or the cost is very high)
Reversible: decide quickly without perfect process. Don’t take much time.
(This is not to be reckless though)

Irreversible: Decide slowly and take as much information into account as possible.”

AMAZON
In her next tweet, she talks about decision-making in Amazon. “When Bezos was deciding to leave his job at DE Shaw to start Amazon, he thought that he could come back to job if Amazon doesn’t work. So it was a reversible decision.

He decided to launch Amazon quickly. He got the first mover advantage and the rest is history!”

INVERSION: CHARLIE MUNGER
The second model explains the Inversion model used by Charlie Munger, an American billionaire investor, and vice chairman of Berkshire Hathaway.

Ms Mittal tweeted: “Instead of thinking what would make you successful, first see what would make you fail. Then remove those things.

If you are following a goal, first see what can kill it for you. Avoid that.

Avoiding stupidity comes before seeking Brilliance.”

WHAT CHARLIE SAID
In her next tweet, she quotes Charlie, who once said: “I invert all the time.”

Ms Mittal explained: “He was a weather forecaster when he was in the Air Corps. Instead of thinking of all possible uses of his maps, he questioned how could he kill all the pilots (pilots used his maps the most). Then he just avoided those hazards.”

INVERSION EXAMPLES
She then gives some examples of using inversion.
Exams – What would make me fail this exam?
Trading – How do I blow up my account?
“All I want to know is where I am going to die, so I’ll never go there” – Warren Buffett.

Credit: www.insperity.com

FIRST PRINCIPLE THINKING: ELON MUSK
In her next tweet, she talks about the third model, the one used by Elon Musk.
“First principles thinking – Elon Musk. To solve a problem creatively, instead of building on the mainstay thinking, start from the fundamentals.
This is an extension of the scientific method. Take only the fundamental truths and then question everything else.”
She then gives examples:

Battery for Tesla:
Battery packs were expensive – > $600 per kWh
-What are their material constituents?
-What is their bulk market price?
It’s got cobalt, nickel, aluminum, carbon etc. Price on London Metal Exchange was $80 per kWh.
This fundamentally changed the business.

EISENHOWER BOX
The fourth model is of US President Eisenhower – the Eisenhower box – for prioritizing.
“Categorize decisions on Important vs Urgent matrix

  • Urgent and important – Do
  • Important but not urgent – Schedule for later
  • Not important but urgent – Delegate/Outsource
  • Don’t waste time on not urgent and unimportant.”
EISENHOWER BOX: Decision Making

CONCLUSION
She concludes her thread with the words that “not all are born good decision makers. Such frameworks can help us in making better decisions.”


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
Uttar Pradesh Police (UP)_resized
11 IPS Officers Transferred in Uttar Pradesh, Tarun Gauba Appointed IG of Police, Lucknow Zone
Bharat Bodh Kendra
Union Minister Inaugurates 'Bharat Bodh Kendra' at India Habitat Centre to Promote Cultural Awareness
IPS-logo-resized_new
65 IPS Officers, Including Ajay Kumar Mishra, Empanelled as Inspector Generals at the Centre; 8 from AGMUT Cadre
Happy Mother's Day
A Heartfelt Mother's Day: Celebrating Unconditional Love Across Species
Tiger
Wildlife Filmmaker S. Nalla Puthyu’s Films Celebrate the Spirit of Motherhood in the Jungle
Shakti Dubey AIR 1
UPSC Topper Shakti Dubey Felicitated by UP DGP Prashant Kumar
Govt
38 Senior Officers Including 25 IAS Officers Transferred in Uttarakhand; Chief Secy Anand Bardhan Gets News Role
SECI
Centre Terminates SECI CMD Rameshwar Prasad Gupta's Services Ahead of Tenure Completion
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
IPS Sandeep Tamgadge
IPS Sandeep Tamgadge’s Two Decades of Service in Nagaland
IMG-20250429-WA0019
How Mission IAS is Transforming Dreams of Underprivileged UPSC Aspirants
Aakash Garg
Computer Engineer Aakash Garg Takes AIR-5 in UPSC CSE 2024 Through Sheer Discipline And Hard Work | Exclusive
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
Shivam Singh UPSC Uttar Pradesh
How This UP's SDM, an IRS Officer, Conquered UPSC 2024 in 6th Attempts - The Inspiring Journey of a Bookshop Owner’s Son
Shivam Singh, an IRS officer and soon-to-be IAS, overcame setbacks in six UPSC attempts. With relentless...
IMG-20250510-WA0028
Last-Minute Reading Guide for Prelims—Insights from Aishwarya Surya
Despite never reaching the interview stage in four prior attempts, Aishwarya’s breakthrough came after...
iqbal-ahmad-upsc-2024
From Cycle Repair Shop to UPSC Rank 998: UP's Iqabal Ahmad’s Inspiring Journey Against All Odds
Iqbal Ahmad, son of a handyman from Sant Kabir Nagar, secured 998th rank in UPSC 2024, fulfilling his...
Social Media
IPS Arun Bothra
“Bangalore Has Only USB Ports”: IPS Arun Bothra Mocks Viral Claim of Pakistan Navy Attack
A viral claim about Pakistan Navy destroying “Bangalore Port” drew ridicule, with officers mocking it...
IAS Nishant Kumar yadav
Chandigarh Youths Respond En Masse to Civil Defence Call Amid India-Pakistan Tensions; Video Sparks Patriotic Fervor - Full Details Inside
The Chandigarh Administration, led by the Deputy Commissioner Nishant Kumar Yadav, an IAS officer of...
Fakenews
Be Aware: Fake Videos and Propaganda Cloud Public Discourse After India’s Cross-Border Strike
In the aftermath of Operation Sindoor, numerous false and doctored videos claiming to show the strikes...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
Shivam Singh UPSC Uttar Pradesh
How This UP's SDM, an IRS Officer, Conquered UPSC 2024 in 6th Attempts - The Inspiring Journey of a Bookshop Owner’s Son
Uttar Pradesh Police (UP)_resized
11 IPS Officers Transferred in Uttar Pradesh, Tarun Gauba Appointed IG of Police, Lucknow Zone
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
IPS Sandeep Tamgadge
IMG-20250429-WA0019
Aakash Garg
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT