Rolling the dice relies on good decisions

However, a structured approach to making complex and sometimes difficult decisions can help make a good decision, according to Nicon Rural Services consultant Cam Nicholson.

Mr Nicholson will stress that decision making is a skill that can be learnt and practised when he addresses the upcoming Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) Farm Business Updates in WA.

Designed to enhance grower and adviser knowledge of farm business issues to help with effective planning and management, Updates will be held in Tambellup on Tuesday, February 12, Lake Grace on Wednesday, February 13 and Moora on Thursday, February 14.

Mr Nicholson, Geelong, Victoria, said while some decisions were habitual and didn’t require much thought, others appear more difficult due to a range of issues such as not knowing all the facts, there being many pros and cons to weigh up, severe consequences from making a wrong decision or a strong emotional element.

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“Yet we still need to make a decision, even if it is do nothing at all,” Mr Nicholson said.

“At the Update events I will focus on providing background information and tools to assist growers and industry personnel to make better tactical or operational decisions.”

Mr Nicholson said decisions were influenced by our ‘head’ – the logical or orderly approach to analysing and solving a problem, the ‘heart’ – the emotional influence on decisions and the ‘gut’ – the intuitive influence on a decision shaped by our experiences and knowledge.

“The more difficult or complex a decision is, the more we rely on experience or the gut to inform the decision,” he said.

“Our temperament also influences our decision making and most growers have a temperament that naturally defaults to relying more on the gut and heart than the head.”

Other speakers at the 2019 WA GRDC Farm Business Update events include:

Each of the Updates will be held from 9.25am to 4.25pm.