Why Smart Executives Still Make Bad Decisions — and What Cheryl Strauss Einhorn Says They Should Do Instead

Cheryl Strauss Einhorn has spent years helping executives, entrepreneurs, and leadership teams avoid costly mistakes and make smarter, more confident choices. A former financial journalist turned decision-science strategist, she developed the widely used AREA Method — a structured framework designed to help leaders challenge assumptions, reduce cognitive bias, and improve judgment in high-stakes situations. As Cheryl explains, while "gut instinct" has a legitimate place in business, too many leaders rely on it rather than grounding their choices in evidence, real-world testing, stakeholder input, and rigorous analysis. Her newly published book, The Human Edge: Smarter Decisions in the Age of AI, explores how entrepreneurs and executives can leverage AI as a decision-support tool without surrendering their own judgment to the machine. This conversation offers practical insights for anyone who wants to think more clearly, lead more effectively, and make better decisions in an increasingly AI-driven world.  Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. [Be sure to pick up your copy of All You Can Eat Business Wisdom: Second Helpings, the new Monday Morning Radio anthology featuring 21 world-class thinkers and leaders.] Photo: Cheryl Strauss Einhorn,  Decisive AREA MethodPosted: May 18, 2026 Monday Morning Run Time: 45:00 Episode: 14.46 CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO CHERYL STRAUSS EINHORN'S FIRST APPEARANCE ON MONDAY MORNING RADIO: When the Stakes Are High and the Choices Difficult, Here's a Framework for Deciding What to Do OTHER BOOKS BY CHERYL: Problem Solver: Maximizing Your Strengths to Make Better Decisions Investing in Financial Research: A Decision-Making System for Better Results Problem Solved: A Powerful System for Making Complex Decisions with Confidence and Conviction