Here's how you can overcome decision-making biases and cognitive limitations as a startup professional.

Make use of seemingly unconventional research and resources on biases. Cognitive Distortions as described in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy can lead to biased viewpoints, and just having a list of them up can help with awareness and reframing thoughts. Studying Argument Structure, Logical Syllogisms and Fallacies as part of Logic in Applied Philosophy can help identify common flaws in logical flow. Commonly known biases as previously mentioned are important, but so are sociological phenomena which happen only in groups. Lastly, and most importantly, it's better to be wrong and corrected than to assume wrongly and follow through until it's too late to correct. Avoid assumptions and learn active learning and ask clarifying questions instead.

Bias exists where Humans are, but it is important to be mindful of the biases when there are decisions to be made. I've seen most bias comes from what people did in the past reflecting on what they want to do now, but it is important to imbibe a culture where Biases can be detected and called out in a healthy way to understand if this is the right thing that is being done.

Not only gather views from your internal team, but it's also crucial to have the perspective of experts and outsiders who have a critical-thinking mindset. Those people are trusted by their work results and business, but remember don't be biased by their opinions because you are the person who would understand and be responsible for your business and capacity, not them.

One bullet proof approach to counter bias is to get the views of the colleagues on the team with clear determination of pros and cons. While it is sometimes seen that the HIPPOs rule the roost, it is important to set a culture where it is challenged respectfully and find the right amount of diverse opinions before a convergence is achieved.

Perfection is a myth, Data is absolute most times. So work with the data that you have, make the decisions, call out the uncertainties or risks that exist in your decision making. Revisit it, Iterate and be sure to ack the uncertain situations. Be ready for pivots and hence planning is very essential where it offers the right amount of buffer to help make changes without going off track.

Too many options are sometimes not the best thing to have and it is good to gather diverse thoughts and get to a convergence. Sometimes it has been seen that we can keep discussing till the cows come home but we have a business to run and a customer to serve - So it is also good to converge quick and in times if we disagree we document the risks and maintain a timeline with the decision that is best within the timeframe and constraints given. Some geographies have a consensus approach that is time consuming and some have a very quick approach - I endorse a middle ground which takes opinions and data but makes fairly quick decisions. Sometimes a HIPPO may be needed but with caution.

There a approaches that are different but testing the hypothesis with a quick PoC and documenting the assumptions and pre-determined results is the best way to prove that it is indeed the right one to take.

To overcome decision-making biases and cognitive limitations in the startup realm, start by recognizing and addressing common biases like favoring information that confirms existing beliefs or relying too heavily on initial impressions. Seek diverse perspectives and information sources to gain a more balanced understanding of situations. Use structured decision-making frameworks such as decision matrices or SWOT analyses to objectively evaluate options. Foster a culture that encourages constructive debate and challenges assumptions within your team. Continuously educate yourself on decision-making pitfalls to refine your approach and make more informed choices for your startup. #ahmedalaali11