Book SummaryCreating Great Choices, by Jennifer Riel and Roger L. Martin

1-Page Summary1-Page Book Summary of Creating Great Choices

When faced with difficult decisions, most of us fall into the same trap: We choose the least bad option from whatever alternatives we’re given, then wonder why we’re still not satisfied with the outcome. But what if there were a way to create better options rather than simply choosing between existing ones? That’s the central premise of Creating Great Choices by Jennifer Riel and Roger L. Martin, experts from the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management who have spent over a decade studying how successful leaders think about tough decisions.

Published in 2017 as a practical follow-up to Martin’s *[The Opposable...

Creating Great Choices Summary What Is Integrative Thinking?

Integrative thinking is the ability to hold two opposing ideas in productive tension and use that tension to create a new solution that’s better than either original option. Riel and Martin explain that instead of choosing between Option A or Option B—or settling for some lukewarm compromise between them—integrative thinking asks a different question: How might we create Option C that captures the best of both A and B while avoiding their limitations?

This differs from how most of us have been taught to make decisions: by treating opposing ideas as problems to be resolved through choice or compromise. The authors note that if you’re torn between two competing strategies, conventional wisdom says you should analyze the pros and cons of each strategy, pick the stronger option, and move forward. If neither option feels quite right, you might split the difference. Integrative thinking reframes this process and interprets the tension you feel when facing two conflicting options as a signal that neither existing option fully addresses your needs.

(Shortform note: In What Is Real?, Adam Becker describes how the development of...

Creating Great Choices Summary Why We Need a Better Way to Think About Tough Choices

Most of us believe we’re rational decision-makers who carefully weigh our options and choose the best path forward. But Riel and Martin explain that our decision-making is actually shaped by mental shortcuts, unconscious biases, and flawed processes that often lead to bad decisions. Understanding these limitations helps explain why integrative thinking offers such a powerful alternative.

(Shortform note: We think we’re rational because our decision-making processes feel rational, even when they’re not. Our brains can use logic and take in new evidence in surprisingly optimal ways. But researchers have found that this underlying rationality gets hijacked by limitations we’re often unaware of: We don’t have time to gather complete information or the capacity to analyze every possibility, so we rely on mental shortcuts that feel logical but produce “good enough” results rather than optimal decisions. What...

Creating Great Choices Summary How to Create Better Options

The limitations we’ve explored—mental models, cognitive biases, and flawed organizational processes—aren’t inevitable features of the decision-making process. Riel and Martin have developed a systematic approach that transforms how you handle difficult decisions by treating the tension between opposing ideas as fuel for creativity rather than a problem to solve.

Stage 1: Articulate Opposing Models

Begin by writing a brief problem statement that captures the specific challenge you’re trying to solve. Riel and Martin recommend framing this as “How might we...” rather than “Should we...” or “Can we...” Make sure everyone involved understands and agrees that this particular problem is worth solving. ​​Next, identify two solutions that represent opposite extremes. The authors emphasize that you shouldn’t settle for variations that are only slightly different.

For instance, imagine that your company is struggling with workplace policies after experiencing the benefits and drawbacks of remote work during the pandemic. Rather than debating whether workers should be “mostly remote with some office days” versus “mostly in-office with some flexibility,” push to complete...

Shortform Exercise: Create a Better Choice

Think of a challenging decision you face or a problem at work where the obvious solutions don’t feel adequate. This exercise will walk you through the core stages of Riel and Martin’s integrative thinking process: articulating opposing models, examining what makes each valuable, and using that tension to generate a superior alternative that transcends the either/or trade-off.

Describe your problem as “How might we...” and identify two extreme approaches that represent opposite ways to solve it.