Option Solving Blog

A friend’s daughter was having to figure out her next career step because she wasn’t making the career progress she had expected at her current job. So I walked him through the option solving approach so that he could give her the best counsel.  He promised to talk with me after the event and this what he shared:

Initially, he helped her figure out the right question with due considerations. This is the question they devised: “What would be my next best career move, considering my limited budget, not wanting to be in New York, accumulated insufficient experience to date, have a job with good medical benefits, and have to build a universe of possibilities.”

Once they had completed this step, they produced  two fringe yin and yang “bookends;” to spur producing more plausible options. These ‘bookends’ were, “Go do something completely different” and “Relocate to a  similar instructing position and start from there,”… as revealed in our Latest Example. You will also discover why she didn’t want to pursue these.

Now this question and the bookends were in place, they set to work on producing at least 5 plausible options.  You can see their choices in the latest example, one of which was, “Seek a position in back office operations: be an instructor on the side” – Option E.

With their five options in place, they immediately moved to an emotional distancing mode: where they took a further 15-20 minute break to focus on other issues. This allowed his daughter’s intuitive mind to reflect subconsciously on the option solving picture they had created and be ready to make her choice. This she did and made her optimum decision.

From there they proceeded to discuss “Next Steps,” while the issues were still front and center of her thinking. Such a move also facilitated her moving forward without wasting any time.

If you have an example of your own, please share it with this blogger, through the COMMENTS area.  Thanks Option Solving. (NOTE: Next posting in 2 weeks: “My best options for the New Year?” Let’s have your COMMENTS or go to peter@ileadershipsolutions.com to connect with the blogger.)

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