Uncategorized | Option Solving Blog

What to do with My Office Manager: Resolved using Option Solving!

Posted on December 10, 2010 by Peter Arthur-Smith

Recently I was talking with a relatively new Regional Manager. He had taken over his role within the past four months and was facing some tough challenges with the office manager he had inherited. She had become loyal to his predecessor, but had also become accustomed to some bad habits which didn’t particularly help him (the new Regional Manager) or her colleagues.

He had already tried his best to win her over and to accommodate her in a number of ways, although he was finding that she wasn’t stepping-up in a positive way. He was left with the dilemma of making an appropriate decision that would be minimally disruptive on the remainder of his team.

We therefore turned to Option Solving as the means to make the wisest choice. In this connection, our first step was to come up with an appropriate question, based upon key considerations which included: potential disruption to the team, benefits of getting her on board, her past disappointments of promises not fulfilled, and repercussions if she didn’t step up. (Full question in latest example.)

From there his “bookends” or most extreme options popped out: Continue with her as is and, at the other end, Let her go. Now he was in a position to look at his most interesting options, of which he came up with six. We then put the picture aside (see a selection of these in the latest example: we have not listed them all to avoid readers second guessing his choices, when they are not in a position to feel his exact circumstances) for some emotional distancing. We talked about a range of other things for ten minutes or so.

At that point, I invited him to quickly review the picture once more and identify his most intuitive option. He picked his favored option fairly quickly and then we talked about his particular approach to his solution. He was set to proceed, with his dilemma resolved.

Please refer to the Latest Example to access the overall picture. 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: “Using Option Solving to decide on ‘Getting someone to reconsider their position?’” You’re your COMMENTS or go to peter @ileadershipsolutions.com to connect with the blogger.)

Filed under: Uncategorized | Tagged: Decision dilemmas, Handling Office Manager | Leave a comment »

Where to Next: using Option Solving

Posted on October 29, 2010 by Peter Arthur-Smith

Some while back I found myself in a room with about 10 CEO members of an industry association board. Have you ever tried working with a room full of CEOs? Well, if you have, you’ll know it’s like trying to herd cats. They all have strong opinions and they would all like their point of view to become the prevailing view.

Having said that, Option Solving came to the rescue because it’s an excellent way of letting everyone make a contribution, but, at the same time, helping them to come some sort of consensus. This particular group was trying to decide “where to go next with their industry association.”

My first challenge was to get them to coalesce around a pertinent question. Fortunately the right initial words came along fairly easily, such as, “What is the best immediate option for our business association to move in the right direction, in light of…” Now we had to determine the considerations associated with this possibility. I allowed them to break into two groups and discuss the possibilities, so they could compare notes. Within half an hour, we were able to add on to the question “…membership is dwindling, our members want more value for money, there are some great business synergy opportunities, and there is big potential in a national consortium.” This sort of question started to get their creative juices flowing.

I then challenged them to come up with two “bookends,” the Ying and Yang extreme options that would further help frame their thinking. What they came up with, based on further sub-group discussion, was Remain as an Industry Association and Shut it down. That really put the cat among the pigeons as far as getting them to think creatively. I then set the same sub-groups to work, to come up with 2-3 realistic but creative options that could potentially take their association to the next level. Some of these you will find in the Latest Example.

After an independent vote on the alternatives, they arrived at a consensus view of how to proceed. This is not so important, as the outcome a year later when membership was rising once more and there were a number of synergies benefitting most of them. More importantly, its chairperson said to me subsequently: “It took you less than a day to get us to this point: if we had tried to do the same ourselves, it would have taken us the best part of a week.” That’s a big gain with Option Solving: its time-effectiveness. Get the book and try it sometime.

Please refer to the Latest Example to some of the outcome. 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: “Using Option Solving to decide ‘Best approach to Production Scheduling?’.” You’re your COMMENTS or go to peter @ileadershipsolutions.com to connect with the blogger.)

Filed under: Uncategorized | Tagged: Where to next | Leave a comment »

Doing More with Less: using Option Solving

Posted on October 15, 2010 by Peter Arthur-Smith

In talking with a recent not-for-profit-group, it was grappling with a similar issue to so many non-profits (and businesses) these days, ‘Trying to do more with less.’ Its team was anxious to figure this out because it had already cut much to the bone and yet it still had a big task within its community.

It got as many of its people together as possible and set to work. Its first task was to frame the right question starting with: “What is our best approach to ‘Doing more with less,’ considering… The group drew up a list of considerations and then quickly narrowed them down to three of particular importance, namely … “considering increasing volunteer support (office and board), unable to add more staff, and still increasing revenue each year to accommodate needs and mandates?” These considerations, as part of any Option Solving question, are most important, since they focus our intuitive mind on important issues (both positive and less positive) that need to be factored into any final choices.

Once this was done, then the group focused on the ‘Bookends”: see Latest Example. Again, these bookends sharpened their realization of the least likely options, but, at the same time, got their intuitive minds working creatively on their most promising option choices. You can also see some of the eight alternatives they developed, from which, by means of an independent ballot, they narrowed down to the most likely option for their purposes at that moment in time.

As a result, two key things happened. Firstly, the exercise put their minds at ease because they felt their “collective wisdom” had produced the right choice. Secondly, they were all committed to get involved and make this option work. This is the one thing that is most often missing with traditional problem solving: people are not that committed because the solution is usually the brainchild of one person and everyone else either likes it or goes along with it. With Option Solving everyone participates and is more likely to go along with the outcome because their voice was heard through the independent ballot.

Please refer to the Latest Example to some of the outcome. 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: “Using Option Solving to decide ‘Where do we go next?’.” Make your COMMENTS or go to peter @ileadershipsolutions.com to connect with the blogger.)

Filed under: Uncategorized | Tagged: Non-Profits-Doing more with less | Leave a comment »

Strategic Decision Making: Maximizing Strategic Effectiveness through Option Solving

Posted on October 1, 2010 by Peter Arthur-Smith

Strategies often fall apart due to inadequate decisions along the way. Sometimes those decisions are simple and straightforward and traditional decision making will suffice. But, more often than not, the choices are complex and the stakes are high. For this reason it requires maximum quality decision making: it requires the maximum exploration of options.

This is where Option Solving comes in handy because it taps into our most natural decision making capability (our intuitive mind): whereas traditional problem solving taps more into our rational mind, which is nowhere near as gifted when it comes to making decisions. Our intuitive intelligence is built to handle complex choices. It is made to juggle different variations. It is also constructed to see the forest-before-the-trees. Our rational minds don’t have this same adroitness. All this has developed through the course of our lives: billions of computations and permutations of our life’s experiences.

Like a computer back-up system, it constantly synthesizes and compares with what’s already there and what’s new. When challenged with fresh decisions, it is able to instantly explore its enormous database and find similar experiences and outcomes. Then, of course, there are its biological senses that have been honed and handed down over generations until it is part of our DNA. Until more recently, we have given insufficient attention to its power and importance in decision making.

Consequently, to fully plug into our intuitive mind, when making key strategic decisions, it makes a whole lot of sense. With the option solving technique (see the Book tab) and its question formation, creation of “bookends,” and formulation of viable options, it creates an intelligent “picture” from which our intuitive capability can scan and make an optimum choice.

For strategic purposes, its advantages are:

Determines that the right question is asked (fires the possibilities).
Invites maximum creative thinking by framing with extreme options (uses “bookends”)
Challenges participants to produce at least 5-6 options (explores all the possibilities).
Encourages the inclusion of a diverse group of people wherever practicable (accesses the “wisdom of crowds”).
Creates a comprehensive picture from which an optimum strategic decision can be made (pictures are an essential food of our intuitive minds).
Allows for “peace of mind” in the ultimate decision (because all options were explored).
Produces the optimum decision of the moment (owing to the power and wisdom of our intuitive minds).

Please refer to the Latest Example to see a typical strategic use. 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: “Using Option Solving to ‘Do more with less’.” Make your COMMENTS or go to peter @ileadershipsolutions.com to connect with the blogger.)

Filed under: Uncategorized | Tagged: Maximizing Strategic Effectiveness, Strategic Decsions | Leave a comment »

Influencing Key Decisions through Option Solving

Posted on September 17, 2010 by Peter Arthur-Smith

Recently I was talking with a non-profit which was bidding for one of its programs to be adopted and funded by its local city. The bidding process was going to be even tougher than usual owing to the current fiscal crisis at most cities. It would therefore have to compete even harder for the $s that can be made available. The challenge then came down to the optimum strategy it should pursue in order to be successful in its bid.

As always the first challenge was to decide upon the right question. There was some heavy discussion with those present to figure out that question. It started out as: “What is the optimum strategy for us to focus on going forward to aid our XYZ City bid…” Once this was set, then we started to clarify the defining considerations. Eventually these came down to: “…considering severe financial constraints, the great need for health assistance, the different vested interests involved, and the need for someone to take the lead?” – see the Latest Example. As discussed in prior postings, getting the question right at the outset is critical to getting the right solutions from our intuitive mind. The intuitive mind is used to being asked thousands of times per day, by our rational mind, for its opinion on many things. The more precise the questions are from our rational mind, the better the intuitive mind will pick the right response. This is why many people will particularly dwell on defining the issue before giving their opinions.

We then defined two bookends – see the latest example –, so that our intuitive mind will reject these and find better alternatives. From this we were then able to identify six alternative options for ultimate consideration by our intuitive senses: again see the latest example.

Thanks Option Solving. (NOTE: Next posting in 2 weeks: “Using Option Solving to assist Strategic Decision Making.” Make your COMMENTS or go to peter @ileadershipsolutions.com to connect with the author.)

Filed under: Uncategorized | Tagged: Influencing Key Decisions, Non-Profits | Leave a comment »

Forward-Looking Options

Posted on September 3, 2010 by Peter Arthur-Smith

“Our struggles with positioning ourselves for the future do not stem from lack of imagination or intuitive capability to picture tomorrow. It is our reluctance to devote sufficient time to such a critical task, as well as our limited know-how on how to consider our future options.”

Ideally we should have everyone within an organization involved in such an exercise, or at least representatives from every corner of the organization. It should certainly not be dominated by the executive team; otherwise it will be perceived as an executive exercise. In today’s enterprise we’re more likely to see a show-and-tell presentation, along with hearing instructions as to what everyone will be doing going forward. In tomorrow’s organization we will see sub-group conversations around an appropriate option solving question like, “What key considerations should we be pursuing to build a dynamic and financially healthy future?” Everyone within the organization will have thoughts and ideas about this, so by starting an across the board conversation we are likely to tap into a great reservoir of insight.

The question posed (“What key considerations should we be pursuing to build a dynamic and financially healthy future?”) will encourage sub-groups of participants (hopefully the whole organization or a worthy cross-section of it- the more the merrier) to make several proposals on what will propel their organization forward.
Through facilitation, that list will be reduced to five or six alternatives; framed by a couple of the most unlikely options – or “bookends” (see Latest Example).
An individually based, confidential poll of all participants will reveal the most likely forward-looking option. Potential examples include: more innovative products/services, better focused marketing efforts, more responsive customer service, go in a new direction, more effective leadership, and so on. (Note: Such an activity takes some guts by executives, but can pay enormous dividends both in insight and good will. – see Latest Example.)
Such a poll invokes the “wisdom of the crowd:” that is, participants’ view of what it would take for their organization to produce more dynamic and financially healthy growth. (Note: Rather than just depend on a sole senior executive [or small band of executives] to make such a choice, the collective view of the largest group of participants is much more likely to draw out the best conclusion – see book “The Wisdom of Crowds” by James Suroweicki.)
One other option, especially with non-profits, is to get a core group of board members together and work the Forward-Looking Options exercise through with them (either partially or fully). They can then set up another session with a wider board group, where the whole group assembled can contribute to the earlier deliberations, add to it, and then take an independent-poll of everyone assembled to determine the most likely way forward.

Thanks Option Solving. (NOTE: Next posting in 2 weeks: “Influencing the outcome of a key decision, through Option Solving.” Make your COMMENTS or go to peter @ileadershipsolutions.com to connect with the author.)

Filed under: Uncategorized | Tagged: Future Options | Leave a comment »

Pay-Back Using Option Solving

Posted on August 20, 2010 by Peter Arthur-Smith

Tougher times spur greater scrutiny of both investments and expenses. However, stalling on investments and expenses can potentially kill innovation. Breaking out of either an organizational stalling or shrinking mode, induced by these tougher times, requires maximum innovation. So how do organizations find the right balance between these two conflicting requirements: squeeze or innovate?

This is where option solving can play a useful role. Our professionals, specialists or support staff suggest a new idea or request an investment in developing their skills. Instead of being put-off with, “We don’t have the budget for that right now,” the individuals concerned should be encouraged to pursue their proposal. Such put-offs are highly commonplace in today’s difficult environment. It dampens people’s desire to make investment suggestions or innovations because there’s no point.

As an alternative, their team leaders (or executives) should either introduce them to or suggest they utilize a Pay-back Option approach: that is, figure out the approximate investment required for that new idea or skill development and then consider options on how that investment can be met.

Now their team leaders (or executives) can readily invite their team members (using the option solving technique) to produce the right question relative to key considerations: see the latest example. Between them they can arrive at “bookends” to challenge their intuitive minds’ creative capabilities: at one end, Leave it to my boss to take care of, at the other end, Postpone the investment. These are clear options, but the least likely ones. Ultimately they can come up with a range of potential viable options to cover the likely investment. From this they can choose the best payback option. (Note: Where a team member is already acquainted with option solving – see book – they can figure out the likely options themselves and then propose the best pay-back option.)

The outcome: either a pay-back solution to cover the required investment – hence a zero-sum-game outcome – or proposers agree to put their suggestion on hold for the time being. This way proposers’ initiatives are not squashed arbitrarily (for pure budgetary reasons) and innovation is encouraged: even if the two parties agree to postpone it for the time being. (Note: During difficult times like these, it is potentially the moment where initiative is strangled rather than encouraged.)

Where they agree to proceed because they have found a suitable pay-back option, now they have to go and slug it out with their Controller! Never an easy task at moments like these, but this is where Controllers and their leaders have to become that much more flexible, in order to encourage organization innovation. That’s the key ticket right now. It is called Zero-Option Investing.

Thanks Option Solving. (NOTE: Next posting in 2 weeks: “Forward-Looking Options: figuring out where the organization should go next.” Make your COMMENTS or go to peter @ileadershipsolutions.com to connect with the author.)

Filed under: Uncategorized | Leave a comment »

Option Solving: Sometimes the Initial Question is not the Right Question

Posted on August 6, 2010 by Peter Arthur-Smith

For those of you who have followed this Option Solving blog, you will have been struck by the importance of framing the right initial question. This remains a key step and could therefore have an important impact on the outcome.

For instance, working with some colleagues recently, we spent some time working through the right question for launching a new service. What was our best option?

We devised a question, came up with “bookends” (see book), and then started digging out interesting options. It was only then that we realized we were asking a less than optimal question. Instead of focusing on the service model, which we had pretty good instincts about, we came to the conclusion that we needed to focus on the initial marketing and launch of any such service.

So giving ourselves a time period to disengage and re-engage afresh, we started forming a question around our initial marketing options. This took us in a more productive direction and in due time we had formulated a different question.

Consequently, Option Solving facilitators and practitioners, be ready to change the question if your instincts indicate you could be going off course.

Thanks Option Solving. (NOTE: Next posting in 2 weeks: “Payback Options: to cover the cost of organization investments.” Make your COMMENTS or go to peter @ileadershipsolutions.com to connect with the author.)

Filed under: Uncategorized | Tagged: Right Questions | Leave a comment »

Solving My Office Dilemma: using Option Solving

Posted on July 23, 2010 by Peter Arthur-Smith

This blog is about Option Solving and how it has so many applications.

Just recently we were having dinner with some close friends. The wife, a psychotherapist, was facing the renewal of her office lease. While there were some other contextual factors that were driving her dilemma, she was struggling with her approach because she had not been the primary lessee to date, very much liked her office (which she had already occupied for several years), and was hoping to keep it for another 5-7 years.

At some point, as our friend described situation, my wife suggested that I introduce this friend to option solving. With a quick overview, I then worked toward what her question would be; based upon her circumstances and considerations (see the Latest Example).

Once we succeeded with the question, then we explored her “bookends”: those more extreme options which were least likely to be considered…but they were options nevertheless. Based on her current level of frustration, one option was “Tell them to ‘Go to Hell’” and the other was “Accept whatever terms are offered” – see Latest Example.

With her intuitive senses pushing these to one side, now she was ready to create fresh potential options. Two of which, in the Latest Example, were “Low ball the landlord, in view of it being a renters market” and “Find others to jointly lease the space.” Once all her five options became clear, I then advised her to sleep on it (use some emotional distancing, which she thought was a great idea), when her most favorable option would surface once she woke the following morning … her intuitive mind will push aside the clutter and haziness and prompt her to make an optimum decision. Suddenly, toward the end of dinner, a whole look of peace crossed her face, which happens to so many other options solvers at this point. As of writing this blog, she was making good progress along her chosen path.

Thanks Option Solving. (NOTE: Next posting in 2 weeks: “Sometimes the initial question is not the right question.” Make your COMMENTS or go to peter @ileadershipsolutions.com to connect with the author.)

Filed under: Uncategorized | Leave a comment »

Better Career Choices for Beginners and Job Seekers: using Option Solving

Posted on July 9, 2010 by Peter Arthur-Smith

This blog is about Option Solving and Option Solving is a much better way for career beginners and job seekers to make their career choices, than so many other traditional modes. In a moment you will see why.

College graduates and those already in careers have picked up a tremendous amount of intuitive wisdom in their lives to date –from friends, family, schooling, college, early work experiences, and so on. Intuitive wisdom provides an incredible bank of information to draw upon when the time comes for choosing careers. The trick is to access that bank of information in the most effective way: how do I access that mind boggling level of intuitive wisdom I’ve gained over the years, especially when it’s locked away? That’s where Option Solving comes in.

For many job seekers in the current economic scenario, this is a great time to look at your deep-seated job desires rather than go back to what you’ve been doing. There are new positions and roles emerging as the economy changes that might gel better with your own intuitive desires.

The first step is to come up with an appropriate question. Perhaps one like: “What’s the best career choice for me now?” You can learn more how to pose the right questions from the option solving book.

Your next step with Option Solving is to set your mind toward an additional framing technique known as “bookends” (find out more about these from the book). But two likely bookends could be: 1) Do nothing and just hope the right job comes along. 2) Follow the career path decided by my family and friends. The idea behind bookends is to choose extremes you’re least likely to follow: hence the ones stated above.

With these extremes your incredible intuitive wisdom will kick in, as it will naturally tend to reject these bookends. Then you should map out 5-8 alternative choices of career that appeal to you in some way – see example under Latest Example tab.

Once you have laid these out go to bed and sleep on them – as a career beginner that will probably mean from 2.00AM to 2.00PM the following afternoon! For more mainstream careerists, it will mean first thing in the morning. However, before you close your eyes, you ask yourself exactly the same question as you posed earlier: “What is the best career choice for me now?”

The first choice (of all the alternatives) that pops into your head when you wake up is the career choice you should pursue. This sleep break is known as “emotional distancing” (more in the book) and allows your intuitive intelligence to work at its best (it does all the editing and removes all the fluff).

Once decided, don’t be put off by your family and friends. No matter the challenges or obstacles, this is the career of your dreams and should be pursued at all costs. Remember, “He/She who lets go is the one who loses out.” Best of luck with your chosen career!

Thanks Option Solving. (NOTE: Next posting in 2 weeks: Dealing with an office rental dilemma. Make your COMMENTS or go to peter @ileadershipsolutions.com to connect with the author.)

Filed under: Uncategorized | Tagged: Career Dilemmas | Leave a comment »

« Previous Page — Next Page »

Option Solving Blog

Certification Workshops

Menu

Search this Site

Subscribe via Email

Archive Posts

Recent Comments