Reframing your Decisions Pivot Away from your Problems. This is an art in direction change and being able to take others with you
Estimated reading time: 6 minutes
Table of contents
The art of thinking differently
Everyone gets stuck at some time in their life. Nothing changes and everything you try and do makes no difference. Sleep is difficult, problems are mounting and there is no way out of the mire. Or is there?
To Pivot
Steve Blank defines a pivot as “changing (or even firing) the plan instead of the executive (the sales exec, marketing or even the CEO)
Wikipedia
An example of this in a company was with the startup Groupon, now highly successful in promoting products they started as a social engagement group. The change of direction was a pivot to success.
Reframing
“Reframing” is a technique used in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to identify automatic thoughts and replace them with more balanced thoughts.
When researching this subject the two principles really resonated with a business or person that has hit a dead end, when there seems to be no way out.
I won't say that panic sets in but the feeling you need to escape is certainly at the front of your mind.
I am not a qualified psychiatrist however as a business advisor of many years it is a scene set out all too often that could lead to the collapse of a good business.
Are problems just a puzzle wanting to be solved
Of course, you will know many of the answers but are you missing those vital pieces that complete the puzzle?
Sometimes by looking around you you will notice the missing piece. Many a time of have slept on a problem and found the result in a late-night vision that I could not see whilst agonizing over the details.
Taking a higher view
Or, as they say, a Helicopter looks at what you are trying to achieve. Look at the whole problem and not the elements that are not working together. Re-plan your method of attack by taking a different direction altogether but one that still arrives at the same destination.
Worrying about the small issues often clouds the real problem therefore taking a new route can uncover the errors or admissions that you are missing.
Running into a dead end leaves you nowhere to go
This is when decisions need to be made and those decisions will pivot away from the established road and may take you over some rough terrain. Your initial changed plan may seem a little hazy until the destination appears in the distance indicating that you are indeed on the right track.
Knowing the problem leads to a solution
We come up against all sorts of issues.
People problems
It may be people's problems that are creating the blockage and once you recognize the issue planning your way around them becomes a simple task.
This could be partners, work colleagues, officials, or any sort of personal issue that is creating a mental block.
System problems
When we follow a template pattern of approach it may not always be a one size fits all system that has discovered a new boundary.
When rules change
If you are working on the internet Google is the master at making subtle changes that make a big difference. It may have always been done the one way but that is no longer the case.
For instance, Google has always worked on exact match keywords and in fact, Bing still does. However recent changes now have Goggle asking for user intent despite what the keyword used is. This is a big move away from tradition and those that are not aware will blissfully continue in the old direction.
Your level of understanding.
It may be that you lack sufficient education in an area of activity. An area that is affecting the long-term result. We all have learning flaws or areas that are not our core strengths and sometimes they need to be revisited or explored further to find a way around our failing.
As a blogger, there are many small issues that can be ignored and you still achieve a certain level of performance. However, there are elements like Cornerstone content, orphaned content, and featured snippets that are largely ignored but make a big difference in the results
When thinking time takes over work for superior results
A / B test your results
Sometimes there are just better ways to do things. It may be using Colors or fonts, headings, or keywords. Often the most simple change will have the biggest result. You will only know if you try it out. Using a-b testing is not new and is used often to establish fundamental errors that you can not see.
What is the first step of reframing
The first step of reframing in business is looking objectively at your processes and determining if there is a better way to achieve the results you want
Taking the Pivot theory further
Below is an interview by Mike Koenig with an expert on the subject. Mrs. April Smith Jones.
Here they explore April'isms or her ways of finding a completely new direction that makes a difference
April is a Lady of color, lawyer, business owner public speaker, wife, and mother of three remarkably high-achieving children. This short interview is a must-see for everyone
The April Smith Jones situation
Conclusion
Reframing your decisions;
- Eliminate people problems
- Move out of the system and explore the unknown
- Understand the rules that are restricting you
- Look for deficiencies in your learning
- Test using variable analytics
A short journey in finding roadblocks.
