Option Solving Blog

It is time for this writer to call on his own option solving issue, as he aims to place a survey on-line. He was challenged to figure out question timing issues to encourage participants not to overly dwell on the survey questions posed, in order to stimulate optimal answers. We won’t bore you with the technical reasons.

Being already more than familiar with the option solving technique, he created an appropriate rational question as follows to begin the process of finding an optimal solution. This was: “What is the optimum amount of time for participants to ponder each survey question; considering 1) not to feel too much under pressure, 2) minimize second-guessing responses, 3) allow time to make changes, and 4) limit possibility of abuse?” There were clearly other considerations, although these were the key ones..

He then moved on to draft two “bookends”, the yin and yang, to focus his intuitive capabilities and stimulate his creative thinking toward producing a range of viable options. Those bookends proved to be: “30 secs.” and “1 hour.” Reasons for not using these outliers are given in our worked example. Option-framers like these help to focus participants’ brilliant intuitive minds, which can so easily be distracted, before figuring out their most likely and realistic options – again, see our Latest Worked Example.

It’s important to come up with at least five realistic options to stretch ones thinking. This writer produced six. Look at our Latest Example and you will see those six options – one of them is: “Option B – 2 minutes +.”

With a “pictogram” created, indicating the likely range of time options, this writer set it aside to allow for some emotional distancing. Emotional distancing would allow his intuitive mind to sub-consciously ponder those six options, while doing other things, and enable him to be more objective when he returned to it.

Since one’s intuition enjoys pictures, a pictogram aids fast intuitive absorption. After returning to it sometime later, his intuition helped him to make a rapid choice relative to all the considerations. Which option would you have chosen, if you were in his shoes? Now he set about moving ahead while all the factors were fresh in his 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: “A surprise issue at hand?” 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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