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Rating: 
Summary: Better Problem Solving, Decisions and Actions!
Review: As a management consultant whose practice heavily involves helping people become better problem solvers and someone who co-authored a book about better problem solving (The 2,000 Percent Solution), I was struck that this book delivers much more than it claims (the opposite of most self-help books). Although ostensibly about decision making, the book also focuses well on how to identify solutions to important issues and how to be sure you follow through on the decisions you make about those issues. The book is presented as a fable, in the familiar style of The One Minute Manager (which Dr. Johnson co-authored with Kenneth Blanchard). The fable revolves around a learning exercise called The Hike, which is led by 'the guide,' an outstanding businessman who guides people through the mountains and their decisions. On The Hike, the young man learns the key principles involved in making better decisions (not optimal decisions, just better ones) and gets pointers from hikers who have been on The Hike before. During The Hike, many occurrences are used to explain the key ideas, and specific case histories are described and evaluated. The key points of each chapter are summarized in notes at chapter end, and the principles are captured in a summary at the end of the book as well. The essence of the decision-making approach here is to test potential decisions analytically (with your intellect) and emotionally (with your heart and feelings). Most people tend to favor one or the other, at the expense of making better decisions. On the intellectual side, you are encouraged to consider whether you are meeting your real needs (rather than vague desires), getting enough information to make a good decision, and giving the whole situation a thorough evaluation. On the emotional side, you are directed to check the truthfulness of what you are thinking, your comfort with the potential decision, whether fear is governing you, and whether you are settling for too little. Most people I meet who are having problems with decision making are relying too much on intellect or too much on emotions. They have a hard time seeing the benefits of more balance in their approach. This book will be very helpful to such people. Now, this book is not a heavyweight introduction into the formal disciplines of decision making encompassed in game theory and other tools. If you are interested in learning more about those methods, you would do well to read this book and then graduate to the techniques in Smart Choices, which I have also reviewed. In addition to what you will learn from these two books, I would also like to encourage you to study examples of people who have made great decisions in the same area, and consider analogies of perfect solutions from other areas of human endeavor. Those can stimulate improved options in your thinking that will allow you to make even better decisions. Allocate a half hour a day to working on important decisions you are giving short shrift. This will allow you to improve enormously in the future. Decide to do this, and act now by ordering this book!
Rating: 
Summary: Better results and wiser decisions
Review: Being a person who can never make up their mind, I decided it wouldn't hurt to read a book about better decision making. I enjoyed reading this book because it told a story about a man who used a 'Yes' or 'No' system to make better decisions. This made it easier to understand and apply the system to your own problems. In the story the man talks to many people who have used the system sucessfully. They give him lots of examples on how to arrive at better decisions. The 'Yes' or 'No' system is broken down into two main questions to ask yourself when making decisions. One is a practical question and the other is a private question. This allows you to use the system while making personal decisions or buisness decisions. Every day we are all faced with decisions, big and small. I have realized, from reading this book, that I seem to not think my decisions through as well as I should. I am sure that many other people share similar problems. This book acknowledges what we may not want to admit to ourselves. That many of us are knowingly making poor decisions, but we do not have the time or effort to turn them into better decisions. Reading this book may sound like a life saver to some people, but of course not everyone is going to walk away with better decision making skills. Like everything else in life, it will take time and patience to improve your decision making. But for those of you who would like to, this book could start you off on your way to turning poor decisions into better ones.
Rating:
Summary: Soooo Practical!
Review: I have worked personally with Dr. Johnson on this material and have fully tested it in my own life and career. It really works! This elegant yet profound model for clear thinking will assure that you honor both your heart and your head when making choices. The parable teaches the model in ways the reader doesn't even notice. I've read the entire book aloud with my family and read it again on a plane trip alone. It will make sense of so many things. Buy it now and keep reading it as long as you keep making decisions. :-)
Rating:
Summary: Changed the way I make decisions.
Review: I knew there was something missing in the way I was making decisions in my life. Although, I thought, I was making good decisions I really wasn't. After reading this book I have learned how to make "better decision." Dr. Johnson writes in story form the message that's easy to understand and adapt. This is a book that should be read and reread by everyone from adolescence on.
Rating:
Summary: Changed the way I make decisions.
Review: I knew there was something missing in the way I was making decisions in my life. Although, I thought, I was making good decisions I really wasn't. After reading this book I have learned how to make "better decision." Dr. Johnson writes in story form the message that's easy to understand and adapt. This is a book that should be read and reread by everyone from adolescence on.
Rating:
Summary: Many Will Find Help Here with Decision-Making
Review: Johnson offers a very helpful book in this volume. He presents a simple guide for decision-making, one that will undoubtedly enhance the process for many persons. He essentially describes a two-step decision procedure, examining one's thinking on a given issue, then examining one's feelings on the same subject.
While not as good as the One-Minute Manager classic and its accompanying volumes, this work likely will help those persons seeking to bolster their decision-making abilities.
Rating:
Summary: Many Will Find Help Here with Decision-Making
Review: Johnson offers a very helpful book in this volume. He presents a simple guide for decision-making, one that will undoubtedly enhance the process for many persons. He essentially describes a two-step decision procedure, examining one's thinking on a given issue, then examining one's feelings on the same subject. While not as good as the One-Minute Manager classic and its accompanying volumes, this work likely will help those persons seeking to bolster their decision-making abilities.
Rating: 
Summary: Could be better
Review: The author presents the subject in an interesting way (thru a trip). Few good idea in how to make better decision... the book could be shorter though. (Chinese edition)
Rating:
Summary: Original Approach
Review: The tape version (which I heard) may have been enhanced by the reader (Edward Herrman) which had a good relaxed and clear voice. But the way the story goes seemed pretty effective to make one think about the decision in one's life, it made me think about many of my past decisions in a new light. I think I may be able to make better decisions in the future.
Rating:
Summary: read this first - before all the other great self help books
Review: This was a wonderful book that helped me put all the other self help books into practice. It helped me to make the decisions so that I could then set the goals to improve my life. It was simple to read and even gives a "shortcut card" to keep handy.
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