Book Review: “The Purposeful Decision Maker” by Pádraig Ó Céidigh

“The Purposeful Decision Maker” by Pádraig Ó Céidigh presents a groundbreaking and holistic approach to decision-making in both life and business. Ó Céidigh draws upon his own rich and varied experiences as a teacher, accountant, lawyer, and entrepreneur to create a methodology for making great decisions consistently. The book emphasizes the importance of understanding one’s core values and principles, and using this “safe harbor” as the basis for all decision-making.

Ó Céidigh’s approach begins with the concept of safe harbor, which includes the people, places, and principles that are most important to an individual. He argues that making great decisions is about protecting that safe harbor and ensuring that actions are aligned with one’s core values. He extends this concept to business, explaining that a business’s safe harbor consists of its people, purpose, principles, and place. Establishing clear boundaries around the safe harbor is also crucial to good decision-making. Boundaries help protect an individual or business from the agendas of others and ensure that time and energy are focused on what is most important.

The book also delves into the analytical approaches required to distill information into actionable knowledge. Ó Céidigh introduces a decision-making funnel to help filter out irrelevant information and focus on accuracy and completeness. He emphasizes the importance of being aware of one’s own biases and agendas, as well as the agendas of other stakeholders. He discusses different forms of bias, such as optimism/pessimism bias, and offers ways to circumvent these biases. 

Ó Céidigh also explores the role of instinct in decision-making. While he acknowledges the value of gut feeling, he argues that it should be evaluated carefully before taking action. He cites the work of Gary Klein, who suggests that your gut feeling should be taken as an important data point that then should be consciously evaluated. The book also discusses the importance of learning from past decisions and breaking the cycle of making the same errors repeatedly. It emphasizes that while failure is inevitable, the ability to learn from it is crucial for effective decision-making.

The book also explores the importance of perspective and purpose in making sound decisions. It encourages readers to take a step back and look at the big picture when making important choices. The book stresses the importance of clarity in decision-making, urging readers to ask the question “What are we trying to do here, and why?” Ó Céidigh suggests that the purpose of a decision should always be to strengthen the individual’s or business’s safe harbor.

The author provides a number of practical action points at the end of each chapter to help readers implement the concepts discussed in the book. These actions help readers apply the book’s methodology to their own lives and decision-making processes.

“The Purposeful Decision Maker” is more than just a guide to decision-making; it’s a catalyst for personal and professional transformation. It encourages readers to make choices that are aligned with their deepest values and that drive progress in every facet of life. It is a must-read for anyone seeking to improve the quality of their decisions and, thereby, the quality of their life. 

Nicole Killian