A client once mentioned that “filters” were a useful way to make big decisions in business. My ears perked up.
I had recently made a couple of big decisions and reversed them after further thought and discussion with someone I trusted.
And then I started the second guessing we’re all familiar with sometimes. I knew I needed a new way to organize my thinking to make these big, uncomfortable, potentially risky decisions.
How could I approach these decisions with a new perspective and with more useful thinking? I turned to an Organizer Coach, not myself, but to a colleague in my advanced class.
I’m using myself as an example for two reasons (1) to illustrate the organizer coaching process without needing to change details to protect a client (2) because people often want to know that organizers are not perfect. (I admit to that readily, but sometimes an example is more believable!)
Our coaching process went something like this.
What made you think these decisions were initially not right? How did you first think about your answers?
*I have too much to do already and might get overwhelmed – then not do a good enough job with everything else.
What do these decisions have in common for you?
*New areas for me. Haven’t done that before. Not sure how to do it. Not sure if I have all the skills for it.
What other big decisions have you made in your life – which you thought turned out well/successfully for you?
*My junior year abroad decision in college. I almost didn’t go (fear) but talked with people who had gone before. I couldn’t pass it up after that.
I did the best I could, jumped and closed my eyes – thinking I could probably figure out what I didn’t know, or rely on friends again.
*Career choices – new jobs/my company. There was always someone gently pushing me to consider the new horizon – someone who believed in me a bit more than I did in myself right then.
*My new book. The publisher approached me based on my blog writing- and yet, for years, several people told me I was a good writer and should do something about that.
How did you approach making those decisions?
*I guess when I think about it, I talked to other people about the idea.
Found someone who believed in me a little more than I did right then in the wake of a big decision.
Talking about it got me comfortable with the parts I was nervous about.
They raised good points and questions to consider, so I had more decision criteria to use.
Became less about the emotions this way.
And with time, I realized that I knew more and had more skills than I’d initially thought.
And so, thinking about these recent decisions, what would have made you comfortable ?
*Talking with someone out loud. *And having some of those decision criteria to practice and use – to take some of the emotion out of the process.
Is changing your mind a positive or not, in your mind?
*Usually I don’t think of it as a good thing – that once you decide, that should be your commitment.
But here, changing my mind was a really really good thing.
So what criteria might you use? …. Read my next post for my new criteria ! Look for it tomorrow.
Tags: choices, home office, moving on
