Name: How to make big decisions in challenging circumstances
Uploaded: 2024-12-16T15:57:06Z
Duration: 14 min 55 s
Description: When making a big decision, should you trust your gut or follow the data? Emergency manager Jonathan Reimer draws on his experience responding to some of Canada's largest wildfires to share advice on high-stakes decision-making that you can take to your boardroom, kitchen table or anywhere else.

Jonathan Reimer: How to make big decisions in challenging circumstances

How to make big decisions in challenging circumstances

When making a big decision, should you trust your gut or follow the data? Emergency manager Jonathan Reimer draws on his experience responding to some of Canada's largest wildfires to share advice on high-stakes decision-making that you can take to your boardroom, kitchen table or anywhere else.

Major decisions, especially under pressure, demand more than just collecting data or trusting intuition. During the Fort McMurray wildfire, delayed evacuation led to devastating losses, while swift, risk-based action saved every home in Waterton. Intuition draws on unconscious pattern recognition but can be deeply flawed, especially when it overtakes facts. Building decisions on a solid, objective understanding before consulting instincts leads to better outcomes—whether on the fireline or at the kitchen table.