Yes or No – Is it really as simple as that?
If BRAWN Mercedes had a dream debut today (1st and 2nd position) at the Australian F1 Grand Prix, then it was thanks to Kubica’s mad rush of blood trying to overtake Vettel at a near impossible bend. With only three laps to go and racing for the 2nd and 3rd spot, this collision not only forced the drivers out of the race but also proved a blessing in disguise to BRAWN’s Barrichello who could not believe he finished 2nd!
As the Brawn’s were celebrating with a Magnum MUMM champagne, I had this urge to log on to you tube and check out some careless errors by drivers which cost them the race. As I kept clicking from one car crash to another, I hit my Inspiration button. It was not Jenson BUTTON who won the race today, rather Alex Zanardi.
Before I talk about Alex Zanardi, I want you to STOP for a moment and think about today’s’ race. Even if you didn’t watch it, I ask you to picturize the words in the first para. It might be easy for us to say that one has to evaluate risks before making a decision and be totally unfair to Kubica here. Just imagine driving a car fitted with V8 engine at 200 to 300 km/hr, 3 more laps to go and having to decide – Overtake or Don’t? ; Yes or No?
Like Malcolm Gladwell, I feel it is in these situations that a very crucial factor called “Gut feel” comes into play. Malcolm discusses about such snap judgments in his book BLINK and how they usually go right compared to cautious decision making. Well, in this case it did fail, but just look at the carefully chosen words here even from Malcolm – “Usually go right”. He also explains that such decisions are extremely quick, originate from very little of previous experiences and most importantly taken unconsciously – meaning you just know but don’t know why. A Strange and scientifically difficult to accept concept.
If you trust your insticts without being deceived by your mind, the probability of the decision working in your favor is better and brighter. I say this because the mind is always telling you to act based on what you “WANT” and not the “REAL”.
As human beings we make qualitative judgments about people whom we meet for the first time either in a party, wedding or a simple business handshake. Such judgments within the first 30 seconds of an interaction include things like whether you want to meet the person again or would you be comfortable engaging in a business relationship, even things like honesty, integrity etc. of that person. What I have said here is not my statement or about me, but scientifically proven. There is no real need for us to make judgments here unlike an F1 race, yet we do and I am forced to question this more than the Kubica one.
Two sides to a coin, right?. There are highly successful people in business, the likes of Jack Welch who wrote “Straight from the Gut” but many of his decisions were not just from the gut. He used carefully worked out theories of management, systems and principles to get GE to where it is today. To cut the long story short, where the gut feel doesn’t play a role, then the suggestion is to apply the traditional basics in decision making:
- Recognize the problem/situation on hand
- Availability & access of information necessary
- Evaluate risks involved
- Have alternatives
- Cost/benefit ratios
- Get rid of bias
- Freeze decision, act and review
Gut feel decision or carefully planned, it is imperative to make a decision – Be it business, personal life or Sports! Though not recommended, choosing not to decide which is also a decision may work in your favor but very rare.
Getting back to Zanardi, I was stunned to watch his car crash at the at the Euro Speedway track in Lausitz, Germany in 2001. Until then Zanardi had been a great entertainer on the US CART (Championship Auto Racing Teams) racing track and had won two of them but the moment Tagliani’s car hit him at 200 Km/hr , people thought it was his end. His story is a great example of beating all odds to survive and the dramatic events that followed can be read at http://observer.guardian.co.uk/osm/story/0,,766954,00.html
The accident:
Before I talk about Alex Zanardi, I want you to STOP for a moment and think about today’s’ race. Even if you didn’t watch it, I ask you to picturize the words in the first para. It might be easy for us to say that one has to evaluate risks before making a decision and be totally unfair to Kubica here. Just imagine driving a car fitted with V8 engine at 200 to 300 km/hr, 3 more laps to go and having to decide – Overtake or Don’t? ; Yes or No?
Like Malcolm Gladwell, I feel it is in these situations that a very crucial factor called “Gut feel” comes into play. Malcolm discusses about such snap judgments in his book BLINK and how they usually go right compared to cautious decision making. Well, in this case it did fail, but just look at the carefully chosen words here even from Malcolm – “Usually go right”. He also explains that such decisions are extremely quick, originate from very little of previous experiences and most importantly taken unconsciously – meaning you just know but don’t know why. A Strange and scientifically difficult to accept concept.
If you trust your insticts without being deceived by your mind, the probability of the decision working in your favor is better and brighter. I say this because the mind is always telling you to act based on what you “WANT” and not the “REAL”.
As human beings we make qualitative judgments about people whom we meet for the first time either in a party, wedding or a simple business handshake. Such judgments within the first 30 seconds of an interaction include things like whether you want to meet the person again or would you be comfortable engaging in a business relationship, even things like honesty, integrity etc. of that person. What I have said here is not my statement or about me, but scientifically proven. There is no real need for us to make judgments here unlike an F1 race, yet we do and I am forced to question this more than the Kubica one.
Two sides to a coin, right?. There are highly successful people in business, the likes of Jack Welch who wrote “Straight from the Gut” but many of his decisions were not just from the gut. He used carefully worked out theories of management, systems and principles to get GE to where it is today. To cut the long story short, where the gut feel doesn’t play a role, then the suggestion is to apply the traditional basics in decision making:
- Recognize the problem/situation on hand
- Availability & access of information necessary
- Evaluate risks involved
- Have alternatives
- Cost/benefit ratios
- Get rid of bias
- Freeze decision, act and review
Gut feel decision or carefully planned, it is imperative to make a decision – Be it business, personal life or Sports! Though not recommended, choosing not to decide which is also a decision may work in your favor but very rare.
Getting back to Zanardi, I was stunned to watch his car crash at the at the Euro Speedway track in Lausitz, Germany in 2001. Until then Zanardi had been a great entertainer on the US CART (Championship Auto Racing Teams) racing track and had won two of them but the moment Tagliani’s car hit him at 200 Km/hr , people thought it was his end. His story is a great example of beating all odds to survive and the dramatic events that followed can be read at http://observer.guardian.co.uk/osm/story/0,,766954,00.html
The accident:
Though he lost his legs his determination and courage to live a normal life got him walking on prosthetic legs with support within 6 weeks after such a nightmare.
In 2003, Zanardi was not only back behind the wheel, he was also racing again, with the aid of hand-operated brake and accelerator controls. He completed the final thirteen laps at the race track which had nearly killed him in 2001, and did so at highly competitive speeds approaching 310 km/h (193 mph). In fact, had he been qualifying for the race that weekend, he would have been fifth. It was a fitting testament to his recovery and persuaded him that a race return was something to pursue.
Zanardi competed in his first race since the accident at Monza, Italy, in a touring car modified to allow the use of his prosthetic feet, finishing the race quite impressively in seventh, In 2004, he returned to racing full time, driving for Roberto Ravaglia’s BMW team Italy-Spainin the FIA European Touring car Championship. The season did not see him score many points, but for 2005 matters were much improved, in a series which became the World touring car championship by adding two non-European races. On August 24, 2005, Zanardi won his first world series race since his accident at Lausitzring.
Watch Zanardi in David letterman’s show – Positive and so thankful to what he is today!
In 2003, Zanardi was not only back behind the wheel, he was also racing again, with the aid of hand-operated brake and accelerator controls. He completed the final thirteen laps at the race track which had nearly killed him in 2001, and did so at highly competitive speeds approaching 310 km/h (193 mph). In fact, had he been qualifying for the race that weekend, he would have been fifth. It was a fitting testament to his recovery and persuaded him that a race return was something to pursue.
Zanardi competed in his first race since the accident at Monza, Italy, in a touring car modified to allow the use of his prosthetic feet, finishing the race quite impressively in seventh, In 2004, he returned to racing full time, driving for Roberto Ravaglia’s BMW team Italy-Spainin the FIA European Touring car Championship. The season did not see him score many points, but for 2005 matters were much improved, in a series which became the World touring car championship by adding two non-European races. On August 24, 2005, Zanardi won his first world series race since his accident at Lausitzring.
Watch Zanardi in David letterman’s show – Positive and so thankful to what he is today!
