I saw a meme the other day that made me chuckle.
It said, “Boy, January has been a long year.”
As I sat down to write today’s Thought Partner Friday, that meme felt pretty real. I thought for sure I was writing for the first Friday of February, turning the page on January’s Decision-Making focus to our February topic of Communication. But alas, that was not the case! (So, if you’re a terribly poor communicator, you’ll have to wait another week for my brilliant tips on that subject. Hold on and try not to say anything too regrettable in the meantime. 🤷🏻‍♀️)
When we think about decision-making or decisions in general, we tend to focus on getting to the outcome, the actual decision itself. I mean, duh, that’s sort of the point – decision-making should lead to making a decision.
BUUUUUUUTTTT….what if we flip that focus just a bit? Instead of looking at the end decision as the goal we need to achieve, what would happen if we looked at the path toward that decision as a series of choices?
Unless you wear a uniform, most of us have a choice in the morning on what we wear for the day. And if you’re relatively awake at that time, that choice is usually informed by the weather outside, the schedule you have that day, the clients you may see, etc…Essentially, based on external information, you’re choosing how you dress for the day. Yes, you eventually make a final decision and that decision is based on the consideration of your choices.
Let’s extrapolate that example further.
In every situation we face, we’re faced with choice.
Consider the following choices:
1. Providing Information (aka Feedback) – Are you choosing to create or critique?
2. Creating Environments (Work or Home) – Are you choosing positivity or negativity?
3. Accountability & Responsibility – Are you choosing reflecting or deflecting?
4. Perception & Progression – Are you choosing to see failure or a chance to learn?
Our access to choice is limitless if we choose to consider our options.
If it’s snowing outside, you’re not going to walk to the train station in shorts. You’ll likely choose to wear pants.
If a large project is over budget and behind schedule, you’ll have to choose a path forward. Choosing cooperation and collaboration is probably better than choosing coercion or collusion.
What are your choices today?