Decisions Training.
Purpose: To get the decisions Right.
I was always taught to turn and FACE up to the Opposition – Decision-making is no different and if you want to get it right you need to start asking questions
So, when faced with a difficult decision, ask yourself these four questions.
For.
Against.
Choice.
Emotion.
For: What are the benefits of making each particular decision?
Against: What are the drawbacks of each decision?
Choice: What choices do I have? Very often you will have many more than you think. Only consider those choices within your control.
Emotion: How do you feel about each choice, are there any feelings such as fear, stopping you from making the best choice?
Let us take another health related decision, one which GP’s take every day:
The decision to give antibiotics for a sore throat.
For: If the sore throat is due to a bacterial infection, then the antibiotics (providing the bacteria aren’t resistant) will help me fight it, and I will recover quicker.
Against. 8/10 infections are caused by a virus, therefore antibiotics won’t make any difference. I am risking potential side-effects such as, diarrhoea, nausea and rashes.
Choice. I could take the antibiotics straight away, or wait and see if things start to improve. I could try an alternative, or simply do nothing.
Emotion. If I don’t get a prescription, I feel as though I wasted an appointment. When I was a child, mum would take me to the doctor, who would give me some magic medicine to make me feel better.
Therefore, if I have antibiotics I will feel better.
Do the facts support the decision?
Often the decision is based more on emotional feelings than facts. That’s because it’s usually the Chairman who has the final say.
For Premiership Health, you should endeavour to perfect the old one-two, between Decision-Making and Action-Taking players.
Decision – Action – Outcome – Decision – Action – Outcome – Decision = Goal.
For example, suppose you intend to lose 20lbs in 3 months. This is the first decisive pass, then you need to take some action and decide the best way to do it.
This may involve reading books, joining a gym or researching different diets.
The result of this decision then enables you to make the second decisive pass about how you are going to lose the weight and take the necessary action.
If the outcome of this action is not what you want, then the final pass is simply to change direction until you reach your goal.
Yes, most of the time when you decide to make a powerful change in your life, you will probably feel an overwhelming desire and drive to change.
Unfortunately, all too often this feeling doesn’t last long, because you forget why you wanted to change in the first place!
In other words, you forget you have a Motivating player sitting on the bench, eagerly waiting to come on and inject some life into the game.
So, try playing another simple one-two, this time between Decisions and Motivation.
1) Make a Decision.
Decide on the result you want to achieve.
Is it to be healthier?
Making a change in your body?
In other words, what is the GOAL?
2) What is the WHY?
Ask yourself these questions:
Why is it absolutely necessary that you MUST change this in your life?
What will your life be like if you don’t make this change?
Are there any other people around you that will benefit from this decision?
How much do you care about them?
How will they suffer if you don’t do this?
What is the most painful thing about not having this in your life?
What is the most incredible and inspiring thing about this decision?
As an example:
A fifty year old Football fan goes to his doctor’s for a routine check-up. They take his blood pressure, weight measurements and blood tests to check cholesterol and sugar levels and ask a brief lifestyle questionnaire.
When the results are back, they do a “QRISK” calculation, which reveals the fan has a 25% chance of having a heart attack or stroke over the next 10 years.
Based on this high risk, they now have the motivation and make the decision that they must make some changes to their lifestyle, because if they don’t they can see themselves on medication for the rest of their lives or worse, disabled due to a stroke.
They begin to realise, if they don’t get healthier they risk being a burden on people they love. They have a picture of themselves, 10 years in the future, paralysed down one side unable to talk.
At the same time, they also take a different imaginary picture, with themselves looking very healthy and fit, perhaps, playing a game of football with the grand-children in the park. This inspires them to make the necessary changes.
To do your own QRISK calculation use this website: http://www.qrisk.org/