Option Solving Blog

Faced with a forthcoming trip to the UK within a week a couple of weeks ago, to visit relatives and friends, I was left pondering my best option for renting a car at the UK airport once I got there. Fortunately there were several options, so applying Option Solving, to ensure I adequately considered them all, seemed the right thing to do.

Moving straight to formulate my question it came out as follows: “What is my best car rental option for my forthcoming UK trip; considering 1) overseas airport rental, 2) Europe more expensive than US – barring exchange rates, 3) full-rate by the clock: bargain rates by full 24 hr rates, and 4) appropriate insurance issues?” There were other possibilities, too, but I kept my considerations to these top four choices so as not to overly complicate my dilemma question.

With my question ready, I needed to devise two yin and yang “bookends” for focusing my intuitive mind to figure out my most viable option. My bookends were as follows: “Show up and rent” and “Treat self to luxury rental.” Take a look at these option framers in our Latest Worked Example.

Now it was my task to formulate at least five realistic options for ultimate consideration. Option Solving prescribes that you produce a minimum five, in order to stimulate the broadest genuine thinking.  In this instance we have defined six alternatives in our Latest Example – one is: “Option A: Rent thru regular Avis account at $316.00 for 4 days.” Having created this “pictogram,” I set aside some time for emotional distancing. Emotional distancing would allow time for my intuitive-mind to compare this pictogram with my many car renting experiences.

When I returned to this pictogram the following morning, I scanned it briefly and made my choice. My intuitive mind had already come to a conclusion. With my choice made, I immediately set the decision in motion while everything was still top-of-the-mind. Which option would you have chosen?

If you have an example of your own, please share it with this blogger, through the COMMENTS area.  Thanks Option Solving. (NOTE: Next posting will be in two weeks time: “What is President-Elect Trump’s best option as Secretary of State?” Let’s have your COMMENTS or go to peter@ileadershipsolutions.com to connect with the blogger. Also consider buying the book: “Smart Decisions: Goodbye Problems, Hello Options” through amazon.com)

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Many companies and organizations could find themselves wondering about what would give their customers or clients the greatest degree of satisfaction? It would be useful for them to consider the key options that customers might seek. Getting the right people together in the company to determine this would be a valuable exercise. Of course, they would need to initially be briefed on the option solving technique and then set to work on resolving their initial question.

A typical question could be as follows: “What is likely to provide the most impact on our customers/client satisfaction today; considering 1) a recovering economy, 2) organizations are reinventing themselves, 3) an election year, and 4) adjusting to a changed media/promotional approach?” Again, there are other possibilities, too, but these considerations are likely to be the top four choices without overly complicating such a dilemma question.

With this question now in place, they would devise two likely yin and yang “bookends” for focusing their intuitive minds to produce the most viable options. Typical bookends could be as follows: “Keep a low market profile” and “Get in your customers’ faces.” Take a look at these in our Latest Worked Example.

They would then produce a minimum of five options for ultimate consideration. Option Solving expects that you produce at least five, in order to stimulate the broadest genuine thinking.  In this instance we have defined six alternatives in our Latest Example – one is: “Option F: Your market image.” Having put this “pictogram” in place, your chosen group would need to set aside time for some emotional distancing. Emotional distancing would allow the group time for their intuitive-minds to compare this pictogram with their life- long experiences, which are recorded in their 3 pound brains.

Give them at least 20 or more minutes to focus on other company or organizational issues, while their intuitive minds subconsciously review their pictogram. Then you would ask them to return to a visible view of that pictogram – our intuitive minds prefer to absorb pictures rather than words – to allow them to quickly decide their best option. Those choices are then aggregated to determine their optimum choice. Which option would you have chosen?

Once they have made their choice, they will be encouraged to put together an action initiative straight away to optimize their chosen option while everything is still ‘top-of-the-mind.’

If you have an example of your own, please share it with this blogger, through the COMMENTS area.  Thanks Option Solving. (NOTE: Next posting will be in two weeks time: “What is my best rental car option on a forthcoming UK trip” Let’s have your COMMENTS or go to peter@ileadershipsolutions.com to connect with the blogger. Also consider buying the book: “Smart Decisions: Goodbye Problems, Hello Options” through amazon.com)

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