Something we used to teach in our Institutes was “pre/post concept.”
For some reason we stopped doing it maybe 15-20 years ago.
It is something that has come up three times in the past two weeks so I figured what better way to process it than through sharing through a BrainTrain/Blog post.
Basically, to me, it means “pre-decision/post decision.”
The decision lays the framework for your group tackling a project/topic.
Have you made the decision to address something but don’t know how?
Design it that way.
Do you know the decision and just need a group to determine what needs to be done to implement it?
Design it that way.
There is no right way or wrong way…but it does hinge on the decision to tackle it.
Actually, there is a wrong way and it is trying to lead a group to a predetermined conclusion/decision. That, my friends, is management by manipulation.
I’ve done two Design Alerts in the past week that have hinged on a critical decision.
Do we go “north” or do we go “south.” Night and day different options.
Both could be valid and the decision could be to pick apart both options and better understand them.
Or it could be to figure out the ramifications of going a certain direction and what it will take to get there as well as figure out who we need to let know we are heading in that direction.
Stephanie and I have been looking for a new home for our family since September of last year.
When my dad passed I knew I’d need different space to truly make our business work.
And being that we’ve been in our “five-year-house” for almost 17 years, it is time.
When we bought it we didn’t think we’d have kids. Now we have three. I’m pretty sure we’re done but I imagine we have a cat in our future.
Our future cat needs a future new home.
We had talked about what we wanted. We thought we knew.
We made a “decision” to only look in certain areas that met certain criteria.
We thought we were solid in our decision.
But we never found what we were looking for.
Until we had what I think was a truly honest discussion and faced some of our fears as well as clarified what we value as a family.
It brought clarity to our decision…helped solidify what we were looking for.
And it’s community and friendship…and outdoor space to play, socialize, entertain and discover.
It’s not the “perfect school district.”
It’s not the “perfect house.”
But when we really analyzed what we were looking for and arrived at our decision, a lot of things fell into place and something surfaced we are pursuing.
Will we get it?
No idea.
If we don’t, will having made the decision to be near our “community of family and friends” play a role?
It better!
The power of a decision dictates so much…and it is frequently so difficult to make.
Yes, unicorns and rainbows (or the equivalent in your industry) may make for great day-dreaming and conversation, but at the end of the day, what are you deciding truly needs to get done?
Determine that and the next steps are usually easy to identify.
Quick question…
# 1 Do you know the decision and just need a group to determine what needs to be done to implement it?
# 2 Actually, there is a wrong way and it is trying to lead a group to a predetermined conclusion/decision. That, my friends, is management by manipulation.
What’s the distinction with these two staments. Do the differences lay on the fact that in # 1 I am seeking wisdom from the group to implement the decision? How can I aboid manipulation with this proposition?
Please share your insights. Thanks