Option Solving Blog

Having guided this editor’s friend thus far on this critical relationship journey, she now had to jump into an unfamiliar committee scenario to make her mark and thereby continue building a multi-level connection. She decided to Peel the Onion further to consider her best option for doing this. So now it came down to her next level question based upon choosing option CC: Optimum step in bouncing ideas off “K” before making committee suggestions or proposals  

The friend was now required to derive a new question related to Option CC, which turned out to be as follows: “What is our optimum option for building a positive relationship  with XYZ  organization– “Peel Onion Prior version Option F: Suggestions to make our corporate membership as constructive as possible” – “Further Peel Onion –  Prior version Option CC:  Optimum step in bouncing ideas off “K” before making committee suggestions or proposals: considering it will 1) ensure on right track, 2) encourage me to do my homework , 3) ensure good sponsor  relations, and 4) learn nuances of participation?” Again, editor’s friend was encouraged to stick with only four considerations to reduce the complexity of any eventual decision, when the moment arrives: despite there being other possibilities out there.

She was then encouraged to develop two more new appropriate yin and yang “bookends”,as these would help keep her intuitive mind focused. Bookends such as these are vital for preventing our fertile intuitive minds from wandering and losing concentration. We are mostly unaware of how powerfully valuable but foot-loose our intuition can be unless we can keep it properly focused on such occasions.   

The two bookends that came to her mind were: “Dive right in” –may tread on the wrong foot;and “Double-check before doing anything” – likely to create impression of lacking confidence. You will note the italicized detractors associated with these least likely sub-sub-options, which help to avoid shutting her other more realistic sub-sub-options out of consideration. Even so, these bookends will now again nudge her intuitive thinking into high gear – see ourLatest Worked Example.

It was then vital for her to come up with at least five new realistic sub-sub-options, although she ultimately came up with six within a decent amount of time. She was then positioned to pursue emotional distancing, which is a form of objective thinking, before making her choice sometime after that …perhaps after 2 hours, later in that day, or first thing the following morning. You can replace her proposed sub-sub-options with any of your own. While they were all quite pertinent, she was now drawn to – Option EEE: Write-up and make telephone briefing to “K”. Itseemed to show the most immediate promise for building an ongoing positive relationship. She can then consider picking off any of the other possibilities.  

Assuming she decides to stick with this new sub-sub-option, after some due emotional distancing; she can then even proceed to a further level of “Peeling the Onion,” to clarify other possibilities, although she should also consider putting an appropriate action initiative together.

If you have an example of your own, please share it with this blogger, through the COMMENTS area or contact him at peter@ileadershipsolutions.com .  Thanks Option Solving. (NOTE: Our next posting will be in two week’s time: “What’s a colleague’s best option for keeping client further involved?” 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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