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Commander's Decision Making Essay

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Question: 8 Explain the influences on a commander’s decision-making? A cognitive bias is a model of deviation in judgment, whereby inferences of other people and situations may be drawn in an irrational way. A cognitive bias can be problematic, even dangerous, because it may not be totally accurate, and cause us not to consider all the pertinent information, or to be completely objective and balanced when we are making a decision. For instance, a commander may have been a brigade S3 in an AO. Upon his return to the same area, he is directed to conduct the same type of mission he may have planned as a brigade S3. As a result, he directs a COA based on his experience. However, his S3 produces for him two more COAs and it is determined through the MDMP process that the directed COA is not the best one. The facts are presented to the commander, but the commander is biased to his COA because that is the way he did it and planned it. He has not taken into consideration that the environment in the AO or the brigade …show more content…

When subjected to pressures, the decision maker may depend on their past experiences and default into an intuitive decision-making pattern that is easier and more normal than an analytical or methodical approach. Using intuition tempered by experience, leaders determine a suitable course of action by gaining an understanding of what is going on in the current environment. Framing the problem correctly helps the decision maker visualize potential solutions and the desired end state to counter the status quo. With an emphasis on accurate situational awareness, leaders’ intuition clarifies the most important factors, the most rational goals, and the most likely effects of their actions. To do this effectively, the decision maker should have a cumulative experience through training, education, or firsthand

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