Flow-based decision making is effective if you have had repetitive, focused training. Situation awareness and the ability to make meaning of moment-to-moment feedback dictate your response to what is happening around you. When you find yourself in a situation you don’t recognize, your training enables you to focus on the unfamiliar elements of the situation. Training helps you execute those tasks that are necessary to get through the situation, while freeing up your cognitive ability to problem solve.
However, it is important to also factor in the effects of stress, your ability and willingness to act, and emotional and cognitive capacity. If you or your organization is in a constant reactive state of being, the abilities to focus on the task at hand, to be open to possibility and creativity, and to act appropriately for the situation are all compromised.
The more experiences you have, the less likely you will experience tunnel vision. While focusing on the...