Warren Bennis famously remarked that the best leaders tend to be those that are great at noticing things. This may seem like something that we all do intuitively, but the reality is that some are considerably better at it than others.

As Don Moore and Max Bazerman explain in Decision Leadership, they’re able to look at data objectively; avoid being misdirected by those who seek to deceive; are aware of things that appear too good to be true; and are generally able to think a few steps ahead.

Moore and Bazerman outline four steps they believe can help us all to be more aware and notice things more effectively:

1. Take responsibility – the first step is to appreciate that being aware and better at noticing the things around you is your responsibility. Too often we excuse ourselves from this responsibility and argue that no one could really have predicted the dire outcomes that ultimately unfolded. That’s seldom the case if only we were better at paying attention to the signals around us.
2. Take an outsider’s perspective – the second step requires us to do better at bringing in external perspectives. The value of thought diversity is well documented, but often we can become so enamored with our own culture, our own intelligence, and our own way of doing things that we effectively block out any diverse opinions.
3. Understand our threats and challenges – the third step requires us to have a better understanding of how decisions are made and whether the right systems and tools are in place to help us make wise decisions. Central to this is the ability to spot the threats and challenges that may stand in our way. It’s often been argued that innovation progresses one funeral at a time, and there may be things in your own organization that need to die in order for you to start making smarter decisions.
4. Think multiple steps ahead – the last step requires us to try and think a way into the future. Moore and Bazerman cite the example of game theory as a good way to test out how situations may unfold but you might also use things like scenario planning or red teaming to better imagine various different futures and the things that contribute to their unfolding.

Good decision making is clearly something that most leaders and most organizations want to get better, but being able to see the world and our situation as it really is can often stand in our way. Moore and Bazerman believe that if you can do these four things then you’re giving yourself a better chance of getting it right.