Latest news with #decisionMaking
The Independent
09-07-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Trump denies he was unaware of Ukraine weapons pause day after admitting he didn't know who ordered it
Donald Trump has said that he 'would be the first to know' if a big decision such as the Ukraine weapons pause was authorised by the government, despite earlier saying he did not know who ordered it. Responding to a question from a reporter about the decision being made without his consent on Wednesday (9 July), the US president said: 'I would know, if a decision is made I would be the first to know in fact most likely i'd give the order but I haven't done that yet.' The Pentagon announced on June 30 that it would hold back some weapons pledged to Kyiv because of concerns that American stockpiles were running short on supply. Asked by a reporter on Tuesday (8 July) on who authorised the pause, he appeared annoyed and replied: 'I don't know, you tell me.'
Harvard Business Review
09-07-2025
- Business
- Harvard Business Review
Move from experimenting to leading with AI
Generative AI can transform how managers think, not just how they work. The HBR Guide to Generative AI for Managers Toolkit helps you apply the technology to decision-making, innovation, and strategic planning. Practical exercises and structured frameworks make it easy to experiment, learn quickly, and bring AI into your day-to-day tasks. Each resource helps you identify where AI can support stronger thinking and better outcomes. Inside, you'll find a digital copy of the guide, a companion handbook, customizable slide decks, and worksheets built around strategic use cases. Together, these tools help you put AI to work where it counts.
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Studies Show That One Key Skill Is Vital To Keeping Teens Safe — & Schools Aren't Teaching It
Why do kids go through 12+ years of school, and leave without a basic grasp of valuable life skills? How to do taxes, how to get better sleep, or what options exist out of the traditional post-graduation pathways are often ignored in the education system. And one skill that most teens severely lack is critical to their well-being and safety: how to make decision. As an adult, it sounds like common sense, but for teens, it's definitely not. We've all known (or been!) teens that do incredibly dumb or dangerous things just because it sounds cool or fun, right? Sure, you might think that teens are capable of decision-making. They know what extracurriculars they like, they have to pick a college major or career, and they know what kind of music, movies, books, and fashion that they like. But when it comes to actually thinking through their actions, weighing risks, and pausing before acting, teens could use a lot more assistance than they're actually getting. More from SheKnows 7 Ways to Make Your Divorce Easier for Your Kid - Straight From Teens Who Lived It The leading cause of death for teens include suicide, overdosing, car accidents, and shooting, which all 'stem from terrible decision-making — impulsive, in-the-moment choices with permanent and devastating consequences,' according to Katie Hill, executive director of the University of Chicago Crime Lab, in an article for The Brookings Institution. She wrote that at the Crime Lab, cognitive behavioral intervention programs that teach kids about decision-making and allow them to practice these skills has shown 'a 40-50 percent decrease in their likelihood of involvement in violence,' according to research. And similar programs throughout the country have had similar results. Dr. Jeff Temple, PhD, psychologist and Associate Dean for Clinical Research at the School Behavioral Health Sciences at UTHealth Houston, has seen similar results at The Center for Violence Prevention, which he leads. The Center conducts research to prevent violence, to train schools, communities, and policymakers, and to serve as a resource for best practices. Dr. Temple tells SheKnows that teaching teens strategies to develop 'healthy relationship skills, emotion regulation, and decision making' can be taught. 'At UTHealth Houston, my team and I found that not only can these skills be taught, but learning them results in reduced violence, substance use, and other risky behavior among middle and high school-aged students,' he explains. 'To be effective, programs must move away from telling teens what not to do and instead give teens opportunities to think through real-life scenarios, talk about emotions, weigh options, and practice responding to tough situations,' he continues. 'Teen brains are still developing — especially the parts involved in planning, impulse control, and long-term thinking,' Dr. Temple says. 'At the same time, the emotional and reward-seeking parts of adolescent brains are super active. That means teens are more likely to act quickly, especially in emotionally charged or high-pressure situations.' Mix in peer influence, which is incredibly powerful during adolescence, and it's easy to see why even really smart, thoughtful teens can make poor decisions in the heat of the moment. Amber Monroe, LMFT, at Healing Balance Therapy Inc., tells SheKnows that a teen's brain is 'wired to prioritize short-term rewards (like fitting in or feeling a rush) over long-term outcomes.' And if your teen has 'underdeveloped coping strategies or unresolved trauma,' she says, it makes them even more likely to 'make a snap decision that doesn't serve them in the long run.' Add in the rise of social media influence and the lack of independence parents give their kids, like Jonathan Haidt wrote about in The Anxious Generation, then you have a recipe for disaster. Decision-making is 'a mental safety net' for teens, according to Monroe. 'It helps teens pause, assess risks, and choose actions that align with their well-being,' she says. 'When teens can think critically before reacting, they're less likely to engage in impulsive behaviors like substance use, reckless driving, or violent outbursts.' Teaching teens how to make decisions will help protect them physically and emotionally, says Monroe. This might look like empowering teens to 'navigate peer pressure, set boundaries, and recognize when a situation 'feels off' before it escalates.' She explains, 'This includes learning to say no to friends or love interests who may pressure them into unsafe environments — something that doesn't come naturally with teens who are at a stage where peer validation and acceptance are so important.' Parents can teach their kids good decision-making skills by modeling this behavior themselves. 'By slowing down, considering consequences, and making choices that align with their values and goals, teens (and all of us) are much less likely to end up in situations involving violence, substance use, or unhealthy relationships,' Dr. Temple says. 'It's a skill that really underpins so much of our safety and well-being, particularly during the storm and stress of adolescence.' Like many important conversations with teens, talking to them about healthy decision-making is not a 'one-and-done' experience. 'Teaching good decision-making looks more like modeling and guiding than lecturing,' Monroe explains. 'It involves helping teens learn how to slow down their reactions, name what they're feeling, and consider possible outcomes.' You could ask open-ended questions such as, 'What do you think might happen if you choose that?' or 'What are the pros and cons here?' If they've already made a poor decision, then you can help them process that by debriefing. 'Avoid shaming and instead, ask curiosity questions: 'What would you do differently next time? How did that decision align with your values?'' Monroe suggests. 'Over time, these small nudges help teens build internal dialogue and emotional awareness, which are key to better decision-making.' Do your best to ensure your home environment is a place where mistakes aren't punished, but instead, are met with curiosity, according to Monroe. And try to create opportunities for your teen to practice with these tips: 'Start small by giving them controlled autonomy in low-stakes situations, like planning a family meal or managing a weekly budget,' Monroe suggests, as this will give them a chance 'to weigh options and experience natural consequences without high pressure.' 'Encourage them to build 'pause buttons' into their thinking—simple phrases like 'I need time to decide' or 'Let me think this through' can help slow down impulsive reactions,' she says. (My dad always said if he had to answer now, without time to think, then the answer was always going to be no.) 'When mistakes happen (and they will!), resist the urge to rescue them immediately,' Monroe explains. She suggests guiding your teen with curiosity instead by asking: 'What did this teach you? How might you handle it differently next time?' 'Normalize uncertainty, too — teens often fear making the 'wrong' choice, so remind them that uncertainty is part of life and that their instincts matter,' she says. 'Most importantly, acknowledge and celebrate their thoughtful decisions, no matter how small,' Monroe says. 'A comment like 'I noticed how you stepped back from that argument — that showed real self-control' reinforces positive habits. Over time, these everyday practices help teens trust their judgment and build resilience, turning decision-making into a skill they carry confidently into adulthood.' It might be challenging to model this calm decision-making behavior or to have these non-judgmental conversations with your teens, and that's OK. It takes practice for parents, too! 'It's important to recognize that while this sounds great in theory, it can be incredibly difficult in practice — especially for parents who grew up in homes where discipline, fear, or emotional disconnection were the norm,' Monroe reassures us. 'If a parent was taught to equate obedience with safety, they may instinctively react with control or criticism when their teen makes a misstep, even if their intention is to protect.' If you are triggered in the heat of the moment, it's OK. Monroe says this doesn't mean you are failing; it just means that there is healing work that needs to be done. (Read that sentence again as many times as you need to until you believe it!) 'Getting your own support, whether through therapy, peer groups, or self-reflection, can make it easier to pause your reactions and stay attuned to your child,' Monroe says. 'Parenting a teenager often stirs up unresolved experiences from our own adolescence,' she adds. 'When we understand that, we gain more capacity to break the cycle and offer our kids what we may not have received ourselves.' Best of SheKnows Celebrate Freedom With These Perfectly-Patriotic Americana Baby Names July 4th Printable Coloring Pages to Keep Kids Busy All Day How Social Media Killed Romance for Teens: What Parents Need to Know About Gen Z Dating in the Digital Age
South China Morning Post
06-07-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
New Communist Party rules hint China's Xi Jinping is delegating more power to deputies
New rules on certain Communist Party organs suggest China's ruling party is aiming to standardise its decision-making process and that President Xi Jinping might be delegating more of his power, according to observers. One analyst said the move could hint at his plan for succession. The 24-member Politburo , the party's top echelon, on Monday reviewed new rules that would apply to the various 'party coordinative institutes' – organisations aimed at coordinating cross-agency policies in a specific area. Specifically, these refer to party 'central commissions' and 'party leading groups', many of which were either founded or given expanded power during Xi's tenure. The new regulations aim to standardise the policy coordination and review process at the top, according to state news agency Xinhua. According to Xinhua, the Politburo meeting noted that these organs should focus on 'planning, discussing and checking on major matters'.
Fast Company
03-07-2025
- General
- Fast Company
The secret to good public policy is simplicity
'Plan for traffic jams, get traffic jams. Plan for human flourishing, get human flourishing.' That's not just some cheesy urbanism mantra, it's behavioral science. Human behavior is often just following the path of least resistance. Not necessarily because we're lazy, but because our brains are wired to conserve effort. Psychologists will tell you that the more friction we encounter (physical, mental, or procedural) the less likely we are to continue the thing we're doing. The fox and the grapes Aesop's fable The Fox and the Grapes is a parable about decision-making. The fox can't reach the grapes that are way up high on the vine, so he figures they must not be ripe. It's where we get the phrase 'sour grapes' to describe how someone rationalizes their poor reasoning. I came across a research study that applied Aesop's fable. Fifty-two participants judged the direction of moving dots on a screen by using handles in either hand. When researchers subtly increased resistance in one handle, participants unconsciously altered their judgments to favor the easier action. For example, adding resistance to the left handle made participants more likely to perceive the dots moving to the right, since moving the right handle was easier. 'Our brain tricks us into believing the low-hanging fruit really is the ripest,' neuroscience researcher Dr. Nobuhiro Hagura said. 'We found that not only does the cost to act influence people's behavior, but it even changes what we think we see.' Dr. Hagura's team found that bias occurred without participants realizing that one response required more effort. In other words, their brains recalibrated what felt right based on ease, not accuracy. Unconscious decisions People don't read zoning ordinances. They don't memorize bus schedules. They don't have a photographic memory of where to find bike lanes. They don't make pro/con lists before deciding whether to walk to the store or drive. Most daily decisions are unconscious. So if local government leaders want people to choose healthy, sustainable, socially beneficial behaviors, those behaviors have got to be the easiest ones to choose. Unfortunately, most American towns and cities are built the opposite way. Walking your child to school often means dodging traffic, climbing over curbs, and waiting at unshaded intersections with no bench in sight. Riding a bike might mean taking a lane next to speeding trucks. Taking transit might mean waiting in the mud with no sidewalk or shelter. But hopping in a car? That's easy. We've paved a deadly path of least resistance. What's doable, but requires some up-front energy by the expert planners and engineers, is to make safe and healthy choices as simple and intuitive by creating a system that nudges you in the right direction. Organizing principles Entrepreneurs often cite their one-line hook for a product or service as the key to staying focused. Urban planners, policy writers, and elected officials should steal this tactic. Every transportation plan, housing study, parking reform, or downtown revitalization effort could begin with a one-sentence purpose that's clear, memorable, and anchored in human flourishing. That sentence becomes your compass when debate veers off course. For example: Our streets will be safe for 8-year-olds riding bicycles. We will eliminate policies that interfere with abundant housing. Cars are welcome on our streets, but they will move slowly. Townhouses should be legal in every neighborhood. Our residents should not be forced to drive to get around. Housing people is more important than housing cars. The bus should not be stuck in traffic. These types of one-liners can be organizing principles, which is more powerful than empty slogans. If the plan, ordinance, or capital project doesn't help achieve the one-sentence purpose, it's off-mission. If it conflicts, it should be stopped.
