1 00:00:03,480 --> 00:00:09,640 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of iHeartRadio. Good Morning, 2 00:00:10,760 --> 00:00:16,560 Speaker 1: This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. Today's 3 00:00:16,560 --> 00:00:19,840 Speaker 1: tip is for when you are making a decision with 4 00:00:19,960 --> 00:00:26,680 Speaker 1: family or friends, don't assume that consensus is best. Instead 5 00:00:26,680 --> 00:00:31,720 Speaker 1: of settling for the lowest common denominator, consider taking turns 6 00:00:31,800 --> 00:00:36,640 Speaker 1: choosing so that everybody gets their top choice. From time 7 00:00:36,680 --> 00:00:42,760 Speaker 1: to time, so many of us sometimes find ourselves needing 8 00:00:42,840 --> 00:00:46,400 Speaker 1: to make a collective decision about what everyone is going 9 00:00:46,479 --> 00:00:50,239 Speaker 1: to do. What's a movie that everyone can enjoy for 10 00:00:50,479 --> 00:00:54,240 Speaker 1: family movie night? Maybe you are trying to please your 11 00:00:54,280 --> 00:00:59,320 Speaker 1: active toddler, your elementary schooler who's into Pixar, your middle 12 00:00:59,320 --> 00:01:03,040 Speaker 1: schooler who's aheard Harry Potter fan, your mother in law 13 00:01:03,040 --> 00:01:07,120 Speaker 1: who likes classic musicals, and your partner who just wants 14 00:01:07,200 --> 00:01:11,640 Speaker 1: everyone to stay put for the entire time. What books 15 00:01:11,640 --> 00:01:15,000 Speaker 1: should you read for book club next month? When members 16 00:01:15,040 --> 00:01:20,080 Speaker 1: have different tastes and different schedules. Where should you go 17 00:01:20,120 --> 00:01:23,119 Speaker 1: for your monthly girls' night out this month when people 18 00:01:23,200 --> 00:01:26,920 Speaker 1: are coming from different directions and have a variety of 19 00:01:27,040 --> 00:01:32,000 Speaker 1: tastes and budgets. We've all been in situations like these 20 00:01:32,040 --> 00:01:35,000 Speaker 1: where you may be able to reach a consensus through 21 00:01:35,040 --> 00:01:40,280 Speaker 1: collective decision making, but that process doesn't necessarily lead to 22 00:01:40,319 --> 00:01:44,120 Speaker 1: an option that everyone is thrilled with, even if it 23 00:01:44,200 --> 00:01:49,240 Speaker 1: is satisfactory to everyone. A lot of people have a 24 00:01:49,280 --> 00:01:53,320 Speaker 1: working assumption that consensus is the way to go, but 25 00:01:53,440 --> 00:01:57,160 Speaker 1: that may not always be the best way to maximize happiness. 26 00:01:57,160 --> 00:02:01,680 Speaker 1: Over time, you may find yourself at the same inoffensive 27 00:02:01,720 --> 00:02:06,560 Speaker 1: restaurant for every girl's Night and watching Mary Poppins over 28 00:02:06,640 --> 00:02:12,200 Speaker 1: and over again. So instead of aiming for consensus every time, 29 00:02:13,040 --> 00:02:18,280 Speaker 1: consider taking turns and letting everyone choose exactly what they want. 30 00:02:18,440 --> 00:02:22,040 Speaker 1: When it is their turn. You choose the movie this week, 31 00:02:22,120 --> 00:02:25,200 Speaker 1: your little guy the week after that, then the elementary schooler, 32 00:02:25,240 --> 00:02:27,840 Speaker 1: the middle schooler, your mother in law, then your husband. 33 00:02:28,160 --> 00:02:31,640 Speaker 1: Then it is your turn again. Everybody will broaden their 34 00:02:31,720 --> 00:02:35,440 Speaker 1: viewing experience, and you may discover movies that you never 35 00:02:35,480 --> 00:02:40,120 Speaker 1: would have tried otherwise. For your book club, all the 36 00:02:40,160 --> 00:02:44,000 Speaker 1: members could take turns choosing the book at a small 37 00:02:44,040 --> 00:02:47,600 Speaker 1: plates restaurant. If each person orders the two or three 38 00:02:47,600 --> 00:02:50,640 Speaker 1: dishes they are most excited about, and then you share 39 00:02:50,680 --> 00:02:54,640 Speaker 1: them all, it tends to work out. Of course, you 40 00:02:54,720 --> 00:02:59,720 Speaker 1: can set parameters for these choices. Maybe all book club 41 00:02:59,760 --> 00:03:04,320 Speaker 1: picks need to be under four hundred pages. Family movie 42 00:03:04,400 --> 00:03:10,080 Speaker 1: night might be limited to G or PG options. Restaurants 43 00:03:10,120 --> 00:03:12,360 Speaker 1: for girls' night out might need to fit within a 44 00:03:12,400 --> 00:03:17,680 Speaker 1: certain budget per person. But within these parameters, when it 45 00:03:17,760 --> 00:03:21,160 Speaker 1: is your turn to choose, you get to choose freely. 46 00:03:22,680 --> 00:03:25,480 Speaker 1: The upside of this method is that people tend to 47 00:03:25,600 --> 00:03:29,240 Speaker 1: choose things that they think are actually good when they 48 00:03:29,280 --> 00:03:33,000 Speaker 1: get a free choice. Do I think this movie is 49 00:03:33,280 --> 00:03:38,400 Speaker 1: or will be amazing is an entirely different question than 50 00:03:39,240 --> 00:03:43,000 Speaker 1: do I think five people with different interests won't all 51 00:03:43,160 --> 00:03:48,760 Speaker 1: hate this movie? Amazing raises the possibility of the choice 52 00:03:48,800 --> 00:03:53,720 Speaker 1: being something really cool, even if it isn't what you 53 00:03:53,720 --> 00:03:58,840 Speaker 1: would have picked. Sometimes consensus yields a decision that everyone 54 00:03:58,920 --> 00:04:03,320 Speaker 1: can deal with but no one loves. When multiple options 55 00:04:03,360 --> 00:04:07,600 Speaker 1: can be pursued over time, taking turns can lead to 56 00:04:07,920 --> 00:04:12,200 Speaker 1: more satisfaction. You know you will be thrilled with the 57 00:04:12,320 --> 00:04:17,440 Speaker 1: option every time your turn rolls around, and something unexpected 58 00:04:18,360 --> 00:04:23,520 Speaker 1: might delight you when it is someone else's turn. In 59 00:04:23,560 --> 00:04:29,480 Speaker 1: the meantime, this is Laura. Thanks for listening, and here's 60 00:04:29,520 --> 00:04:39,520 Speaker 1: to making the most of our time. Hey, everybody, I'd 61 00:04:39,560 --> 00:04:42,000 Speaker 1: love to hear from you. You can send me your tips, 62 00:04:42,080 --> 00:04:46,680 Speaker 1: your questions, or anything else. Just connect with me on Twitter, Facebook, 63 00:04:46,760 --> 00:04:52,000 Speaker 1: and Instagram at Before Breakfast Pod. That's b the number 64 00:04:52,000 --> 00:04:56,440 Speaker 1: four then Breakfast pod. You can also shoot me an 65 00:04:56,440 --> 00:05:01,719 Speaker 1: email at Before Breakfast Podcasts at iHeartMedia that before Breakfast 66 00:05:01,880 --> 00:05:04,440 Speaker 1: is spelled out with all the letters. Thanks so much, 67 00:05:04,440 --> 00:05:12,640 Speaker 1: should I look forward to staying in touch. Before Breakfast 68 00:05:12,680 --> 00:05:16,960 Speaker 1: is a production of iHeartRadio. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, 69 00:05:17,200 --> 00:05:21,160 Speaker 1: visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen 70 00:05:21,200 --> 00:05:24,600 Speaker 1: to your favorite shows.