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We can we improve our ability to make wise choices in business and personal life by better understanding our brains and setting up conditions conducive to good decision-making. A good example is when we are confronted with a major life decision such as whether to seek (or accept) a new job. While few would argue this is ever an easy decision, it turns out the conditions under which we typically make such decisions can set us up for future disappointment. Thankfully, there is a model of social interaction that can be used to increase our chances of making a wise decision.<\/p>\n

David Rock’s SCARF model<\/a> is a framework for understanding social interactions and behaviors based in neuroscience. It describes the conditions under which we minimize threat and maximize reward, based on the current understanding of brain structures and their functions.  Career decisions require precisely the kind of engaged, nuanced, creative and long-term thinking that humans can excel at only<\/em> when in a mode of maximizing reward (“approach”). However, many times, the situation is marked by threat and fear, causing an “avoid” response which handicaps our ability to think like an evolved homo sapiens, reducing cognitive performance and putting our career at risk.<\/p>\n

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I think this model can be productively applied to decision making by helping us to understand why choosing can be hard and how to make it easier and potentially more successful.  The model identifies five themes that can impact social interactions, motivations and, I am arguing, decisions. Here is what they are and how they can be managed to our benefit in the context of career choices:<\/p>\n