The Strategy Bonfire

This weekend I needed to make some strategic decisions and then formulate the related plans. As of Friday, I was confused and unsure, torn between head and heart, balancing security with future possibilities, and trying to choose the right path at what feels like something of a crossroads.

Before I go on, let me just smile at the title here. It reminds me of "the decision hedgehog" - just google it! - something that was referred to me a few years ago and is an amazing piece of opaque, academic gobble-de-gook. Looking at the results of such a google search, it would seem that at least some people at the LSE took it seriously. It defies my comprehension and would not survive in the commercial world I know, but if you want to see something different, have a look.

Now back to the core of this post. What I wanted to record and share is a personal belief that decisions have their place in time. Trying to force a decision will often result in a poorer one, though I concede not necessarily a poor decision. I find that if I take my mind off the subject and let the decision develop and rise to the surface of my consciousness, I usually make the right one.

The analyst in me sometimes argues for lists or pro's and con's, or maybe a decision framework, but then I tend to see both sides of the argument. This rarely brings the clarity that one might expect. It does however stop ideas spinning around in my head and at least this lets me start organising my thoughts.

For me, I have found that I need to engage in something totally removed from my normal work, something that is distracting, maybe absorbing in places, but generally without time pressures. In the past mowing the lawn or hanging wallpaper have proved useful. Yesterday it was building something akin to a Bronze Age burial mound of fallen leaves and trying to burn them that did the trick.

Now it only worked because the ideas had been percolating since Friday. I had in fact made a decision about three times in that period, but each time it did not feel right.

At last, in the periods while I watched the smoke swirl (you try getting wet leaves to flame!) or added another layer to leaves to the pyre, I managed to find an answer that made sense and felt right. Everything fell into place. It was not the "easy" option, but nonetheless it felt right. I am now able to create a plan on how to move forward and can now execute it.

The point I am making is that sometimes one needs not to push things, not to try too hard. Instead, step out of the environment where you are having difficulty, give yourself some time, allow your mind to play with the possibilities and then when you have something that feels right, test it. If it stands up to testing then probably it is right.

I know some people want and need to do this with another person ie "bounce ideas off" or "talk it out". For me it is a little quiet personal time.

I also tend to let this final decision "rest" (as you would a cooked piece of meat), usually overnight. In this time I don't dwell on it, but note how I feel about it. I may well also practice the words I will use to articulate it, either in my head or out loud.

I wonder how the reader makes such important decisions?? Wish me luck in this case! :)

Postscript: Having made and acted on the decision I have shared it with a number of people. In none of those tellings has I felt a shade of regret. I guess that says something and may be a test to be used in future as bad decisions can usually be unwound if necessary albeit at some cost.



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