Option Solving Blog

Two weeks ago President Obama and his team were embroiled in the Egyptian crisis, where the army had set up an interim government and was cracking down hard on the Muslim Brotherhood. He and his team were struggling with what course to take relative to their various options. Assuming they were familiar with the option solving technique, they were able to draw upon the outcome of my own exercise.

The question I created for them, with its appropriate considerations, came out as follows: “What is President Obama’s best alternative for resolving Egypt’s latest turmoil, considering that the US wishes to remain a major influence there, doesn’t wish to antagonize Mid-East neighbors any further, wants to end up with true democracy, and wants to offset Russia and Chain’s influence within the region?” There were clearly other considerations, but the ones given are the key ones.

From there I introduced two likely Yin and Yang “bookends” to help frame their subsequent, more appropriate options. Although these bookends are options in themselves, they are too extreme to consider, hence the reasons given in their respective boxes. The two I produced for them were: “Just ignore the whole thing,” at one end, while at the other end, “Direct US intervention.” Use of these two unlikely options were available to inspire new thinking on this tricky issue and induce fresh ideas.

In our Latest Example, I dug up six options they could use. They would of course have more potential options based upon their own intelligence sources. However, one of my options turned out to be: “Set up a high powered Arab delegation to broker a deal”…option C. Take a look at my other five options that were available for President Obama and his team to use, in our Latest Example, and see if there are others you would’ve included.

I then advised him and his team to put in some emotional distancing overnight, and meet the following day to decide on their best option. They’ve made their choice since, built an action plan and then moved forward. Unfortunately the waters have become muddied with then recent chemical attack in Syria, hence this becomes the subject of our next option solving exercise in two weeks.

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: “President Obama dealing with his Syrian dilemma?” We’re always interested in your COMMENTS or go to peter@ileadershipsolutions.com to connect with the blogger.)

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By chance, Linked-in created an opportunity to connect with a former business associate who had popped up in the Connect Column, after totally disappearing from the scene a year ago. I pursued it with tongue in cheek to see what would happen. Sure enough, a week or so later he responded to complete the connection. This also revealed his new place of work. The dilemma then was whether to re-pursue the relationship, because he had shown the ability to come up with an elegant software program solution, or remain at arm’s length. I then proceeded to contact another associate to get his input. He naturally challenged me to come up with the options open to us.

So I created the following question, with its appropriate considerations: “What is our best option of reconnecting with a former business associate and possibly his assist with an On-Line application, considering that he backed away unannounced once, his willingness to reconnect via LinkedIn, the prize of having an elegant on-line solution, and the loss of momentum from two prior attempts?” In our latest example you can see this set out. There were some other considerations, but these seemed to be the most important ones.

I immediately established two Yin and Yang “bookends” to help frame new, more plausible options. Although these are options in themselves, they are two extreme to consider, hence the reasons given in their respective boxes. The two I came up with were: “Let sleeping dogs lie,” at one end, while at the other end, “Offer him a deal he cannot refuse.” These started some fresh thinking on the issue and what options might present themselves.

Again, as you can see in our Latest Example, I eventually came up with four options, which I presented to my associate. He didn’t have any additional suggestions, although a fifth one popped up subsequently. I’ve always found you are likely to find the best solutions with at least five options. One of my options turned out to be: “Reach out directly by email within ‘How are you doing?’ context”…option A. Take a look at my other four options in our Latest Example and see which one you would’ve chosen. I’ve then been using a lot of emotional distancing, due to travel and other things, and will wait for my intuition to help me pursue the best option. Then I will create an action plan, or not

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: President Obama resolving his latest Egyptian dilemma?’” We’re always interested in your COMMENTS or go to peter@ileadershipsolutions.com to connect with the blogger.)

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Last time we observed how someone’s son had to make a new personal career decision. After going through the option solving approach, he decided to peel the onion, to gain more insight on the best way to handle his career situation. Now suppose he picked Option E – Find a good reason to postpone the interview. Pursue when have everything lined-up. Now he needs to create a new question, reflecting this particular option.

This question, with its considerations, turned out to be: “What is my best way of handling postponement of the interview, considering that it might jeopardize any opportunity for a future interview, I have to find a really plausible excuse, and I will lose the opportunity to clarify many relocation issues?” There were a couple more considerations, but he decided to focus on the 50% most important ones – take as look at our latest example.

Once again, he had to come-up with two Yin and Yang “bookends” for framing other potential options and to inspire a range of more plausible ones. These can be found in our latest example as: “Just ignore the invitation,” at one end, while at the other end, “Pursue interview.” In the circumstances, he saw these as rather unlikely for reasons indicated in our latest example. They did provide a useful framework, however, to start fresh thinking on the issues.

He ultimately came up with five useful options – again, see our Latest Example. You are likely to produce the best possibilities by coming up with at least five options: more than that would be an extra bonus. One of his options turned out to be: “Inform them: ‘On reflection that I’m not sufficiently ready right now.’”…option B. Take a look at his other four options in our Latest Example and see which one you would’ve chosen. He then proceeded with emotional distancing, to give his sub-conscious, intuitive mind time to mull over his five possibilities before choosing. A great way to come up with an optimal approach.

After about half an hour, focusing on something completely different, he returned to his option solving picture and made his choice. He then proceeded to make a simple action plan while everything was still fresh in his mind. Now he was ready to move forward with an optimal decision and game plan.

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: “Re-establishing a former key business contact?’” We’re always interested in your COMMENTS or go to peter @ileadershipsolutions.com to connect with the blogger.)

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Most parents find themselves caught up in their off-springs’ career decisions sooner or later. If we’re not careful Mom and Dad can find themselves in the middle of an emotional, no-win storm. This is where option solving can be most valuable because it encourages participation without any judgments, since, in the end, the decision should be up to the family member to make the final determin-ation not other family members. So just imagine yourself tied up with a son who has to figure out some short-term options on his career.

Since he’s already aware of the option solving technique, it is possible to frame an early question along these lines: “What is my best alternative for pursuing another career option via an interview right now, considering relocation back to Florida, there’s a limited time window to prepare, I wasn’t really prepared for this shift right now, and the need for a new “home” option with a dog?” These were around 50% of the discussed considerations, although these represent the ones chosen by the son.

With these in place, he had to come-up with two Yin and Yang “bookends” for framing other potential options and for sparking a range of more workable options. You will see them in our latest example as: “Go by bus or train,” at one end, while at the other end, “Pursue another career.” These were both highly unlikely, for the reasons given in our latest example. However, it gave him a useful starting point to produce other meaningful options.

It turned out to be six interesting options – see our Latest Example. The technique works best when you come up with a minimum of five options, so six was an extra bonus. One possibility turned out to be: “Relocate now. Take everything now and find a new home when there”…option B. Take a look at his other five options in our Latest Example. Maybe you can choose your option, but not before some emotional distancing, see below?

So he was entertained elsewhere as a form of emotional distancing before being invited to make his choice. In fact, in his case, he took a good afternoon nap before looking at his option solving picture again. Although he made a choice, he wanted to think more about his options within that option, so we moved onto peeling the onion. We will take a look at that in our next blog in two weeks. Already he was feeling much better, since he was guiding his own ship rather than relying on helicopter parents or other family members.

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: “Peeling the Onion: Dealing with a new personal career decision?’” We’re always interested in your COMMENTS or go to peter @ileadershipsolutions.com to connect with the blogger.)

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Countless families have had to deal with verbal abuse with elderly relatives. In this case, an aunt well into her eighties, has a live-in couple – rent free – to keep an eye on her, plus a daily care worker because the “live-ins” leave for work every day. However, there have been occasions when the “daily carer’ has witnessed strong verbal abuse upon the aunt from the female “live-in.” The live-ins have been around for many years, so the elderly aunt wishes to turn a blind-eye to the incidences. She instructs the daily care not to say anything to anyone, which puts the daily carer on the spot to share her observations without losing her job.

As a proponent of option solving, this left it open for me to consider our options with an opening question like: “What is our best option for resolving a verbal abuse situation by a live-in aid on an elderly relative, considering the elderly relative might fire the daily carer for reporting the abuse, there is a long history between the live-in aid and elderly relative, the live-in abuser attacks the daily carer for making the reports, the elderly relative doesn’t wish to do anything about it?” There were other considerations, but these were the most crucial ones.

Now I had these set up, I had to find two Ying and Yang “bookends;” to frame other more plausible options and to stimulate my most creative possibilities. In the latest example, I show them as: “Let sleeping dogs lie,” at one end, while at the other end, “Move the live-in abuser out.” Both were pretty much impracticable, for the reasons given in our latest example. However, they did help me become more open-minded.

I then figured out six other options – see our Latest Example. I usually encourage people to aim for at least five, so six was a bonus. One of these possibilities is: “Ask daily carer to wear a recording device”…option D. You can review my other five options in my Latest Example. What option would you choose in the circumstances?

If you don’t mind, after some due emotional distancing I made my choice, which I’ll keep to myself so I don’t encourage second-guessing. No one can precisely put themselves into my comfort-shoes.

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: “Dealing with a new family career decision?’” We’re always interested in your COMMENTS or go to peter @ileadershipsolutions.com to connect with the blogger.)

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At their prior Option Solving session, the two key owners had produced a decision-picture for figuring out their options for choosing the best way to get their Strategic Team members through the storming phase. After some emotional distancing, they decided upon option E: Work with Key team in pairs on a rotating basis to break down a number of walls. Since they weren’t sure of the best way to do that, they decided on a “peel the onion” exercise in order to flush out some optimal sub-options.

To this extent, they posed the following question to their intuitive minds to get the ball rolling: “What is our best option for getting our Strategist Team working in pairs, as a way of enhancing full team collaboration; considering their domains focus on different things, there may be some resistance among certain pairs, we could resolve some valuable issues, it would highlight who likes working with who?” The four determined considerations were only 50% of those listed, but were the most important ones.

With this in place, they then worked-up two Ying and Yang “bookends;” as their most way-out options. These again would serve as frame-ends between which other possible options could emerge. Our latest example shows them as: “Just leave members to do their own thing,” at one end and at the other end, “Keep pushing to get them working together as a team.” In our latest example, you will notice why they probably wouldn’t work. Such extreme options were good for stimulating the partner’s minds to come up with some good, plausible options..

They then produced five different options – see our Latest Example. One of those options was: “Let pairs exchange views on each other’s domains and how they can help each other”…option A. You are able to see their other four choices in our Latest Example. What option would you see as the most promising?

Again, we turned over their peel the onion option-picture and talked about other issues as a means of allowing emotional distancing . After about 20 minutes we turned it over again for them to make their additional sub-choice. They seemed to feel good about their choice and immediately set about creating an action initiative while things were still fresh in their 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 in 2 weeks: “Dealing with verbal abuse by a live-in aid to elderly relative?’” We’re always interested in your COMMENTS or go to peter @ileadershipsolutions.com to connect with the blogger.)

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I was recently involved with a staff PEACAM survey, which was designed to indicate the level at which “fires were being lit from within.” Although the outcome was reasonably good overall, some areas were not strong enough. To that end, she wanted to know more about what lay behind those particular areas, so we decided to look at her options. Since she was already familiar with Option Solving, we could proceed without further ado.

Consequently, we immediately started to work on an appropriate question and considerations, which turned out to be: “What is my best option for gaining insights and suggestions on recent PEACAM survey, considering that the indicators were reasonably good, want to keep it a positive experience, and I want them to take the ultimate lead on any initiatives?” There were more considerations than this, but we picked out the 50% most important ones.

With this in place, we then set about determining two Ying and Yang “bookends;” to act as the most extreme and unlikely options. They are designed to set her option limits, in addition to provoking her intuition to dig up the most practical options. In our latest example, you will pick these out as: “Leave things as they are and hope for improvements,” at one end and at the other end, “Give everything staff asks for.” Both were not acceptable, for the reasons stated in the “bookend” boxes.

Now we got to work on producing at least five options and in fact came up with six – see Latest Example. One option suggestion was: “Chat with staff one-on-one for insights and suggestions”…option B. Her other five choices are in our Latest Example. What options would you have come up within her circumstances?

We then proceeded to talk about some other important issues to give her intuition the space of emotional distancing and then she returned to this picture after about 15 minutes to make her intuitive choice. Once she did that, we discussed her action approach.

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 our key team through the storming phase?’” We’re always interested in your COMMENTS or go to peter @ileadershipsolutions.com to connect with the blogger.)

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Two years ago one of the owner’s daughters joined a client company to turn around the company’s sales and marketing fortunes. She, along with other team members, did just that and put the company on a fresh growth track. However, her special family status, as well as her high expectations style, has not helped the integration of the senior leadership team (Strategist Team). Despite efforts to get team members to work more closely together, there are particular difficulties between this young lady and the operations executive. The daughter faces a dilemma, since her father tends to side with the operations executive for historical and mindset reasons.

Since she was familiar with option solving, we could set right to in developing an optimal question, which was : “What is my best option for integrating with the Strategist Team, so it can largely run the company from a day-to-day perspective; considering poor group dynamics, lack of trust, family issues, and I bring good expertise/ experience to the company?” We listed about eight considerations in all, but she picked out the 50% most important ones so as not to make the question too complex.

Once this was established, we set about creating two Ying and Yang “bookends.” As the more extreme options, these would help set the option boundaries as well as nudge her creative intuition into coming up with the most likely options. Take a look at our latest example and you will find these as: “Turn a blind eye to everything,” at one end and at the other end, “Offer to buy the company.” Both were least acceptable, so their value in helping to prod some better options was assured.

With these in place, we set about reaching into her thoughts to come up with at least five options. You will see she came up with six – something that rarely happens with conventional problem solving – where one of them turned out to be: “Swap roles with Jack”…option D. Jack was the Operations Executive and I offered this option since I had seen it work rather well in more than one instance of feuding executives…the two parties then are more likely see the issues associated with each side. You are able to see her other five choices in our Latest Example. What would you do in her circumstances?

She proposed to “sleep on it” as a form of emotional distancing and I haven’t had the opportunity to find out what option she chose. No doubt I will sooner or later.

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 ‘Obtaining greater staff insight from a recent survey ?’” We’re always interested in your COMMENTS or go to peter @ileadershipsolutions.com to connect with the blogger.)

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In my last blog, I shared how a brokerage client felt he was suffering because, the two marketing people at his new firm were not acting quickly enough with insurance carriers, to feed his clients with competitive quotes so that he could retain their business. This was naturally hurting his income potential. We went through an initial round of option solving to figure out his best primary approach – see blog for April 12th. Overnight, with some emotional distancing, he decided to opt for option B: Get real close to 2 current mktg people to win their active support.

Now that he was familiar with option solving, we were able to dive right into figuring out an appropriate question, which turned out to be : “What is my best option for getting closer to the two current marketing people, considering the current marketing team is self-absorbed and showing limited urgency, I’m still new to the firm, resources are limited right now, I’m losing business, and there could be a good future for me at this firm?” He again decided to keep all his considerations in place, rather than just go for 50% of them..

With his question in place, he started working on two Ying and Yang “bookends.” These spelt out the two more extreme options to give his forthcoming plausible options some sort of framework. They would also firmly nudge his intuitive juices to come-up with a good range of worthy options. . In our latest example, you will see his new two were: “Leave them to their own devices and hope for the best,” and at the other end, “Ask for one of them to be specifically assigned to me.” He also gave indications, in our example, as to why these wouldn’t be viable.

Once these were ready, to keep probing his experience base, he could now figure out his most workable options. He eventually dug-out five, where one was: “Request for daily updates with Ken involved.”…option C. You are able to see his other choices in our Latest Example. What would you do in his circumstances?

He informed me that he made his choice later that afternoon, along with an immediate action plan. He had now started to peel the onion and could go to further iteration, to hone down to a complete strategy, if he so desired. He felt that wasn’t necessary and that his choice was now working rather well.

Please refer to our Latest Example to view his overall picture for a solution.
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 ‘Options for handling an executive feud?’” We’re always interested in your COMMENTS or go to peter @ileadershipsolutions.com to connect with the blogger.)

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