The Right Decision Every Time: How to Reach Perfect Clarity on Tough Decisions(paperback) [Paperback]

Luda Kopeikina (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0768682045 | ISBN-13: 978-0768682045 | Publication Date: September 1, 2005 | Edition: 1

Drawing on her breakthrough research with 115 CEOs, Luda Kopeikina offers practical, proven techniques for structuring decisions, achieving clarity about the real issues involved, and using that clarity to improve the quality of every decision you make. Kopeikina begins by defining clarity in decision-making, identifying five root causes for decision difficulty, and introducing the “Clarity State”: that singular moment of focus where things fall into place, and solutions become obvious. Next, she introduces a set of powerful techniques for overcoming decision difficulties, stripping away decision complexity, and achieving the Clarity State. Kopeikina concludes with a detailed case study tracing how real executives use these techniques to make crucial strategic decisions.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

"Yes, it's time to decide which management book to read next. To help you decide, I have read Luda Kopeikina's The Right Decision Every Time and now I can muster better emotional resources, overcome procrastination, clearly set objectives, apply reason, establish context, and de-layer complexity. I can now clearly recommend that THIS be the next management book that you read. Kopeikina offers many insights into how to make the best decisions, but the ones I appreciate most reveal how to free your mind and body from their–yikes–'death habits.' Kopeikina also recommends clarity of communication as a test of decisions, and she shows us how on every page of her fine book."

--Dr. Robert M. Metcalfe, MIT engineer, Ethernet inventor, 3Com founder, InfoWorld pundit, and now Polaris Ventures partner; Recipient in 2005 of the National Medal of Technology–the nation's highest award for technological innovation

"The Right Decision Every Time offers sound and practical advice for resolving complex decision situations. By considering any decision in a clear state of mind, we find fundamental barriers, test core assumptions, and align with the right choice. Ideas presented in this book can make a profound difference in any manager's effectiveness."

--C. Michael Armstrong, Retired Chairman, Comcast–AT&T–Hughes

"In her book, The Right Decision Every Time, Luda Kopeikina provides a unique and enlightening look into the process of decision making utilizing a Clarity State–a state of emotional, mental, and physical balance. This book is a 'must-read' for any manager or entrepreneur that strives to be the most effective leader they can be."

--Marshall Carter, Retired Chairman and CEO, State Street Bank and Trust

"Effective leaders communicate clear strategies. To communicate strategy clearly, they must be clear themselves. The Right Decision Every Time presents simple but powerful techniques that even mature leaders have repeatedly shown they can add to their arsenal, helping them excel in leadership. The Clarity State integrates many difficult techniques in a very practical, proven process. Everyone who aspires to successfully lead their organizations, large or small, private or public, should learn the process Luda presents in this book."

--James L. Ritchie-Dunham, Ph.D., President, The Institute for Strategic Clarity; Associate at Harvard University Psychology Department; Co-author of Managing from Clarity: Identifying, Aligning, and Leveraging Strategic Resources

For years, Luda Kopeikina worked at close range with Jack Welch, Larry Bossidy, and other legendary decision-makers. At MIT, she's researched executive decision=making with over 115 CEOs. Now, she introduces a breakthrough, start-to-finish framework for making outstanding decisions.

You'll master innovative "mind focusing" techniques and proven decision-making best practices. You'll discover how to integrate intuition with rigor and discipline...define your options more effectively...strip away the obstacles that keep you from deciding.

Make your next great decision. Get this book–and improve every decision you make from today on.

© Copyright Pearson Education. All rights reserved.

About the Author

Luda Kopeikina is a Visiting Scholar at the MIT Sloan School of Management and CEO of Noventra Corporation, an innovation commercialization firm. Ms. Kopeikina spent six years at General Electric in various vice presidential positions, where she had an opportunity to work with Jack Welch and observe his methods in action. Later, she was President and CEO of Celerity Solutions, Inc., a publicly traded company. Under her leadership, the company executed a complete turnaround in two years and grew six-fold. Interactive Week's 1998 Executive Worth Survey ranked Ms. Kopeikina within the top 20 CEOs of U.S. high-tech public companies for her performance and total return to shareholders.

Ms. Kopeikina is an entrepreneur who started two successful companies. She enjoys working with entrepreneurs and helping businesses prosper. She is a Chairman of MIT Enterprise Forum of South Florida, a nonprofit organization that promotes entrepreneurship. She also serves on the Board of Directors of several companies.

Ms. Kopeikina holds a master's degree from MIT's Sloan School of Management as a Sloan Fellow. She also holds a master's degree in computer science from St. Petersburg University, Russia, where she completed a Ph.D. thesis in computer science.

© Copyright Pearson Education. All rights reserved.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: FT Press; 1 edition (September 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0768682045
• ISBN-13: 978-0768682045
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #927,175 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars No clarity here, just a broken refrain, May 12, 2007

By 

One Reflects - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Right Decision Every Time: How to Reach Perfect Clarity on Tough Decisions (Hardcover)

One of those I really wished I could have browsed at a local store. Judging from the quotes she pulled from books listed in the bibliography, you'd be better served buying some of those. There is little that is original here, and the whole "achieve clarity" mantra comes across as an attempt to create the next BIG THING in management fads. Soon we'll all be going off on expensive training sessions to work on our clarity.

Frankly, and I know some readers won't appreciate this, I gave up detailed reading after a few pages, skimmed the rest of the chapter, skipped and skimmed around a bit more, and had had enough.

I'm clear about one thing: I wasted my money.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great practical methodology for remorse-free decisions, September 14, 2005

By 

Lonnie Pacelli "The Project Management Advisor" (Bellevue, WA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Right Decision Every Time: How to Reach Perfect Clarity on Tough Decisions (Hardcover)

I just finished reading the advanced reader copy of "The Right Decision Every Time..." Very impressive piece of work by Luda. Here are some very noteworthy specifics:

* I Like the five phases outlined in the book, particularly starting off with relaxing your mind & body.

* The book is filled with in-line examples & assignments; they are great reinforcement and enhance the readability of the book.

* I particularly liked the "Acknowledge Emotions" concept...too often we as leaders look to cerebral answers and are reluctant to acknowledging gut instincts. This concept liberates the gut-thinkers to listen to and acknowledge emotions but not get caught up in the emotion

* The pick a fight chapter is great! Luda articulates very well the concept of letting others poke holes at a decision to make the decision better

* I love the practicality of the methodology. Not heady, just very basic and understandable.

* The clarity of objective chapter very nicely lays out a practical and usable decision map.

* The methodology acknowledges both near-term and long-term benefits, constraints, and objectives. Very important in coming up with holistic decisions to thorny problems. This is particularly helpful to avoid making short-sighted decisions which will come back to bite the decision maker later because long-term implications weren't considered.

All in all, a great read which clearly explains a practical and usable decision-making framework for managers at any level. Great job Luda!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Actionable Recommendations for Better Decisions, September 12, 2005

By 

Michael Docherty "CEO, Venture2 Inc." (Boca Raton, FL USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Right Decision Every Time: How to Reach Perfect Clarity on Tough Decisions (Hardcover)

Decision-making seems to be a very popular topic these days, perhaps due to Malcolm Gladwell's recent book "Blink". I've read both "Blink" and Kopeikina's "Right Decision Every Time" and found the latter book much more informative because it provides not only interesting case histories, but very actionable and well reasoned approaches for decision making. I also applaud the author in that while she while brings an MIT developed analytical approach to problem solving, she also emphasizes the mental 'clarity state' and 'informed instinct' aspects of decisions and effective decision makers.