Thank Goodness It's Monday #420

HOW TO MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICES

MORE OFTEN

You’re responsible for your decisions. It’s a significant part of why you’re paid for doing your job or are highly respected in your community at large.

The more responsibility you take on, and the more right decisions you make, the more you’re worth to any enterprise you’re actively involved in.

 

So, by now, an effective decision-making process has probably become second nature for you.

 

But how about the decision-making skills of the less-experienced folks around you?

In both the work-a-day world and in the bigger framework of life aren’t there promising individuals you would like to see learn and earn more responsibility and move up their ladders of success?

TGIM CHALLENGE: Step up and mentor them. Show them how to build their skills and make the right decisions more easily and more often.

It’s a fact: One reason “subordinates” can be reluctant to tackle a decision-making challenge is that they haven’t learned the often-invisible “best practice” techniques that you automatically apply.

Think about it: Making difficult choices is not something that necessarily comes up in the everyday routine. And when the need for quick and informed decision-making does arise, and others turn to you for your valued input, often there’s not the opportunity to patiently dissect and explain the process on the go.

 

So, if there’s a bit of a Dog Days of August slowdown in your circle of influence, maybe now is a good time to help others build skills.

As you reflect on your choice-weighing process and prepare to guide your future better decision makers -- and in doing so make them less reluctant and actually more helpful to you in your quest to progress – consider sharing these --

 

TGIM ACTION IDEAS: They’re four broadly described but proven-on-the-job strategies that improve the odds of making the right decision more often.

See how they align with your personal practices for sorting out which path to chose. Then, assuming they’re compatible with your way of getting to the right decision, mix in your own personal examples to make the correct course of action crystal clear.

Tell your future great decision makers:

 

#1: Use past errors. Treat past setbacks as the valuable learning experiences they are. Recall what led up to a faulty decision. Look for a pattern in the way you evaluate these situations. This way you’ll size things up better and learn how to prevent similar foul-ups in the future.

 

#2: Approach as an outsider. No doubt there are certain routine job duties you can do with your eyes closed. When it comes to decision making in an area where your comfort level is less, it pays to look at the situation without preconceived notions.

How to do it: For the moment, forget everything you know. View the problem as a detached observer, not as a business insider. What conclusions would you draw from the facts alone – without knowing the setup of the deal or the organization or the personalities involved? Decide on this basis and you’ll have a better chance of accurately judging what you’re up against.

#3: Get others involved. Others may see the challenge in a different light. To be sure you’re being objective ask them how they would handle things. Assuming it’s not a breach of confidentiality, ask the opinion of coworkers you respect. Ask family members or friends outside the circle of those with first-hand involvement.

What do they know? It may not matter. Even if it seems too “industry specific” or “inside baseball” for the uninitiated to understand, try it anyway. Trying to simplify your explanation for them may simplify your view and analysis of the problem.

 

#4: Trust your instincts. When all is said and done, go with your gut feeling about different choices that seem to have equal validity. As they used to say about multiple choice  tests, when you’re not sure of the correct answer and when the penalty for a wrong answers is equal to no answer, your informed first choice has the best chance of being right.

Finally: Still feeling reluctant?

Don’t! You’re getting to be the decision maker because someone believed that you were best qualified to make the call. So make it!

***

Good luck with your mentoring.

 

Hope you’re glad you chose to read this far. I appreciate it and I’m deciding to call this TGIM complete -- for now.

Geoff Steck
Chief Catalyst
Alexander Publishing & Marketing

8 Depot Square

Englewood, NJ 07631
201-569-5373
tgimguy@gmail.com

 

P.S. “To live is to choose. But to choose well, you must know who you are and what you stand for, where you want to go and why you want to get there.” Nobel Peace Prize winner (2001) Kofi Annan shared that insight.

Thank Goodness It's Monday #357

MAKE DECISION MAKING

AS EASY AS

“HEADS OR TAILS”

The coin toss … heads or tails … has, as we know, inherently, only two possible outcomes which are -- given a true, balanced, unbiased coin –

Equal. So “Call it!” is a generally neutral and equitable way to choose between two alternatives; a simple and impartial way of settling a dispute or deciding between two (or more, if you plan correctly) options. 

In a theoretically perfect situation, the old “heads you win/tails you lose” flip provides even odds to either choice or side. So it’s used in all manner of decision-making.

Even the coin toss has a video moment
 in John Madden Football

And even when all things are not equal -- for example, where determining who gets a perceived advantage or where other decision-making approaches might lead to an injurious struggle -- an unprejudiced coin flip is used to resolve disputes with a minimum of effort and to sidestep an otherwise difficult situation.


The historical origin of coin flipping is rooted in the interpretation of a chance outcome as the expression of Divine Will.

Is it? (Divine Will, that is.)

Not quite. (Or, at least, we can say with great certainty, not usually.)

But you can use a coin flip to perform a psychological experiment on yourself, and the result of that experiment could help you choose.

In fact, it’s a technique that’s attributed to no less a psychological authority than Austrian neurologist and psychoanalyst, Sigmund Freud.

(Full disclosure: I’m a bit skeptical about the attribution. I found numerous Freud references but no Sigmund-at-the-source documentation. But I’m going with it anyway.)  

How does it work? Well, once you’re down to just a couple of can’t-seem-to-decide- between-them choices, grab a coin. (Or click through below to a Coin Flipper form that allows you to flip virtual coins, the outcomes randomized by some kind of algorithmic, computer-connected, beyond-my-understanding relationship to atmospheric noise.)

TGIM ACTION IDEA: Designate one choice “Heads” … 

the other choice will be other “Tails” …

and now–

FLIP! 

The outcome? Not important.

Not important?

WTF? (What The Freud? Or … What The Flip?)

If we’re deferring our decision to the coin, how can the coin-toss outcome NOT be important?

The point of the Freudian coin toss: It’s NOT to actually determine the decision, but to force you to clarify your feelings.

TGIM IDEA IN ACTION: Got your coin-toss answer? Now check your “gut.”

Siggie sez: Your gut reaction to that flippin’ outcome is what’s important. Like this:



Sigmund Freud
in the iconic 
  1921 Max Halberstadt
picture

         You chose “Heads” and “Heads” turn up.

                                    Alright!

     You make a spontaneous involuntary fist pump and your inner voice cheers,“Yessss!”

                 Or …

         You chose “Heads” and “Tails” turn up.

                                    Arrgh!
   Your stomach flips, your head droops, you get a sinking feeling and the idea --
                 “Maybe two out of three …”
-- flashes through your brain.

Congratulations either way: That unambiguous insight helps you come to the decision that’s right for you.

In a nutshell: Sometimes giving yourself a point to focus on brings out what you subconsciously wanted to do anyway. If you assign the decisions to the coin flip, you'll often end up making the decision you wanted to despite what the coin says.

Sigmund Freud (1856-1939), it’s claimed, explained…

"I did not say you should follow blindly what the coin tells you. What I want you to do is to note what the coin indicates. Then look into your own reactions.

Ask yourself: Am I pleased? Am I disappointed? That will help you to recognize how you really feel about the matter, deep down inside. With that as a basis, you’ll then be ready to make up your mind and come to the right decision.”

Of course, if you have some reservations about whether this strategy is or isn’t right for you, I say --

Go Ahead And Try It. Hey! It’s a coin toss …

Geoff Steck
Chief Catalyst
Alexander Publishing & Marketing

8 Depot Square
Englewood, NJ 07631
201-569-5373
tgimguy@gmail.com

P.S. In the spirit of discovering how you feel about decision alternatives via a coin toss, there's no doubt that Sigmund Freud did say, in a letter to Wilhelm Fliess dated October 15, 1897: “Being entirely honest with oneself is a good exercise.”

Thank Goodness It's Monday #356

HOW TO “DO IT”

WHEN YOU CAN’T “JUST DO IT”

“Just Do It” -- the so-called Nike Rule.

According to the commonly accepted lore,

the Nike "swoosh'" was created

by freelance designer Carolyn Davidson,

while she was a graphic design student

at Portland State University.

Nike founder Phil Knight

was teaching accounting classes

and approached Davidson for ideas for this new brand

 for his company, Blue Ribbon Sports (BRS).

The Nike swoosh was created when Carolyn,

frustrated about not being able to create a "new" "fresh" logo,

drew a quick check on a paper.

In the spring of 1971,

Davidson presented a number of design options.  

Knight and other BRS executives ultimately selected the Swoosh.

"I don't love it," Knight told her, "but I think it will grow on me."

Davidson submitted a bill for $35 for her work.

On one hand: As students of self improvement, we can certainly endorse the underlying fundamental spirit of a procrastination-sidestepping “Just Do It” mindset.

And on the other: We must also allow that “Just Do It” is first and foremost a marketing/advertising slogan, albeit an extraordinarily successful one. Nike is the only company to win “Advertiser of the Year” twice.

So here’s the thing: In a real world decision-making process of multi-layered alternatives, an oh-so-cool “Just Do It” approach doesn’t necessarily create the best outcomes.

What does?

Ah, I’m glad you asked.

TGIM ACTION IDEA: For most real world decision-making situations we’re routinely involved in, taking time and pinpointing certain elements may greatly assist and enhance the process and yield the best outcomes.

TGIM IDEA IN ACTION: Do not “Just Do It” and shoot from the hip. Here’s a 6-step method that’s not hard to grasp and reliably gets you closer to the time and place where you can just “Do It.”

#1: Analyze and identify the situation. Clarify the state of affairs you’re trying to resolve. 

Sometimes this step is simple.  For example, there may be a vacancy on your staff.  You want to promote one of several possible subordinates into the spot.  You have to make the decision; choose among them.

However, some situations may not be clear-cut: Say a group you have some responsibility for is doing poorly.  Before you can make a remedial decision, you have to take into consideration the circumstances, find out what’s wrong, and why it’s wrong, in order to proceed.

#2: Develop alternatives.  In every decision-requiring circumstance, there are at least two possible actions: Taking action or not taking action.  In most cases there are more. 

For instance: In remedying a vacancy in your staff you might –

► Promote the person who is most familiar with the duties of the open job.

► Set up some kind of test which will make it possible for you to grade the qualifications of the applicants for the job.

► Ask for volunteers.

► Hire from the outside.

► Leave it unfilled.

#3: Compare alternatives. There are few cases where we’d be lucky enough to have one alternative that represents the likelihood of 100% satisfaction. Usually each alternative has advantages and disadvantages. An alternative that you might prefer may be too costly; or you may lack the manpower to carry it out. Where the decision is critical, take the time to actually write out the advantages and disadvantages of each alternative.

#4: Rate the risk. In decision-making, the usual scenario is one where every alternative you’re considering includes –

An uncertainty factor. Since you seldom have total information about the situation you are dealing with, you can never be sure that the decision you make will be completely satisfactory.

Accordingly, in considering alternatives, is important to rate the degree of risk each one involves. Obviously, this must be an estimate. Yet this approximation should be a part of the considerations that lead you to select the most desirable alternative.

In rating the risk, you may use percentages or any other ranking system you prefer—grading from 1 to 10, using the academic A to F rating, and so on.

#5: Select the best alternative. If the previous steps have been done carefully, it is possible that the most likely alternative becomes self evident. 

But there are other possibilities:

► No alternative is desirable. The riskiness of alternatives, for example, may properly persuade you not to take any action because no move you can think of at the time promises to be successful.

► Merge two or more alternatives. In some cases you may find that, while no single alternative provides the averages you want, combining elements of two or more provides you with the most likely plan.

► The “resources factor” may swing your decision. Alternative A may have more advantages than Alternative B. However, in carrying out Alternative B, you may have a piece of equipment that promises to save the day.  Or -- and this element is often crucial -- you may have a subordinate of outstanding caliber who will make Alternative B a much better bet because of his or her availability for this move.

While it is wise to gather information and check facts yourself, it may also be prudent to be forward looking and get additional expert opinion and project the possibilities into the future.

And keep in mind: Decision making is always an imperfect process. There will still remain some uncertainty in your attempt to pinpoint the best move. This uncertainty element can never be completely eliminated. So --

Trust yourself: In the final analysis, the usual practice is for the decision maker to select between two otherwise “even” alternatives by a hunch or intuition. Don’t underestimate the importance of your feeling. Veteran executives consider intuition a standard part of decision-making and use it when facts, logic, or systematic considerations are unavailable.

#6: Get into gear. After a decision has been made, it must be made operative.  You, your team, or a subordinate, must take on the assignment of getting the people, resources, and so on, involved in putting the decision to work.

Make it so: A decision implemented with energy and conviction can make a sizable difference in the outcome. 

It may seem like an unnecessary emphasis to make this final point at all. But the fact is, many a decision, made even after days or weeks of effort, fails to produce results. Or, the decision is followed up in such a weak fashion that -- despite its many excellences --  only mediocre results are achieved.

Your move: The manner in which a decision is communicated to the people who will be affected by it is, in itself, an important factor.  And the manner in which the assignments represented by the decision are given to the people who are to carry out the plan is a major aspect of its effectiveness.

Maybe now is the time to gather the team … explain how thoughtfully you and others worked your way through the 6-step decision-making process … and then exhort them to –

“Just Do It!”

That will “Do It” for this TGIM.

Let’s “Do It” again next Monday.

Geoff Steck
Chief Catalyst
Alexander Publishing & Marketing

8 Depot Square
Englewood, NJ 07631
201-569-5373
tgimguy@gmail.com

P.S. How was “Just Do It” coined? Here’s a condensed version of the story. (Spoiler Alert: It’s not as uplifting as you might like.).

Dan Weiden, cofounder of the ad firm Weiden+Kennedy told the Ad Club of New York in 2009: W+K had just finished 8 disparate Nike commercials and Dan felt something was needed to tie them all together.

One evening, Gary Gilmore, who committed notable murders in Utah, came to mind. Gilmore had been sentenced to death by firing squad and, when asked what his last words were, he said, “Let’s do it.”

Dan found this provocative and twisted it a tad to “Just do it.”

When it was presented to creative staff in the agency, they weren’t sure about it and said, in effect, “Whatever, Dan.”

Nike was also unsure on using the line.

Here’s Dan telling the story at another time: Just Do It