Some people want every fact before they move. Others decide in a heartbeat and adjust as they go. Neither is wrong. But until you know which way you lean, your decisions are made on autopilot.
At MindSpark, we start every programme with a simple idea. At the centre of every decision is one important thing: you. Your personality, your temperament and the way you see the world shape every choice you make.
Two questions behind every decision
The MindSpark Decision Assessment Matrix (M-DAM), developed by our founder Tosin Oyelese, looks at two things:
- Data reliance: how much information you need before you feel ready to decide (low, moderate or high).
- Speed: how quickly you like to reach a decision (fast, moderate or slow).
Put the two together and you get nine decision-making styles, in three families:
- Analysts rely on a larger amount of information.
- Jurors try to balance analysis and intuition. They gather enough information, as quickly as they can, to decide in good time.
- Intuitives use a small amount of information to decide.
| Fast | Moderate | Slow | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High data (Analysts) | Investigator | Inquirer | Examiner |
| Moderate data (Jurors) | Maestro | Adjudicator | Reformer |
| Low data (Intuitives) | Visionary | Explorer | Collaborator |
Everyone has traits of all three families. Each family is a spectrum, and most of us have one dominant style that we rely on more than the others.
The analysts
- Investigators gather as much information as possible, but process it quickly. Their growth step is to accept that they will never have all the information. They already decide fast, so they can learn to trust their intuition more.
- Inquirers need a lot of information and like a little time to weigh it up, often consulting people they trust. Their growth step is to see that some decisions don’t need more analysis. They need action.
- Examiners want plenty of information and plenty of time. They are detail-minded and careful, and they dislike being rushed. Their growth step is to sift: keep the details that matter, so they can decide sooner with confidence.
The jurors
- Maestros value decisiveness and live with a sense of urgency. Their growth step is to stop the fear of analysis paralysis from pushing them into decisions that are too impulsive.
- Adjudicators weigh the pros and cons carefully and want decisions to be fair. Their growth step is to accept that not every decision needs the judging scales. Leaning into intuition can make their decisions even better.
- Reformers take their time, because they are aware that many decisions can’t be reversed. Their growth step is to accept that making a decision beats making none. Calculated risks build their confidence and their intuition.
The intuitives
- Visionaries trust their gut and don’t like being weighed down by data. Their growth step is to recognise that some decisions need a short step back before diving in.
- Explorers are highly intuitive but like a decision to settle before they act. Their growth step is to let their successful decisions build confidence and quiet their self-doubt.
- Collaborators decide intuitively but like to check with people they trust before they act. Their growth step is to believe in their intuition and celebrate their wins. Confidence builds self-trust, and self-trust builds intuition.
Your style is a starting point, not a label
Knowing your style doesn’t box you in. It shows you where your strengths lie and which habit is worth working on next.
The full M-DAM takes about five minutes at mdam.mindspark.one. Your report shows your style, your data reliance and speed, and your typical beliefs and fears. It ends with a strategy for growth written for you. Take it today, and start something.