Over my decades-long history as both a blogger, author, and public speaker (as well as being a Ph.D. in Psychology who sees clients), I have come to appreciate the power of words. I often hear someone say that “it’s just a semantic difference” when discussing the use of different words that are seen as having [...]
One of the greatest strengths of the athletes I work with, whether a junior, collegian, Olympian, or pro, is their intelligence. Their ability to explore, understand, analyze, critique, and find answers and solutions is an essential tool that helps them pursue their goals. At the same time, one of the greatest weaknesses that holds them [...]
“I wonder.” How often you have made this simple statement? I’m going to guess quite frequently. How often have you heard it from others? I’ll bet even more often. Anytime an interesting question is asked, “I wonder” seems to naturally appear in our psyches. It’s only two words, yet those two words are far more [...]
I’m asked regularly by companies to help them find ways to increase their individual and organizational performance, productivity, and profitability. In these situations, two old adages come to mind: “Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” “If all you ever do is all you’ve ever done, then all you’ll ever [...]
I’m often brought into a company to help them solve a problem. The problem might have to do with strategic planning, research and development, or entry into a new market. I’m no expert in any of these areas, but what I am pretty good at is helping companies understand and go through the best possible process for making decisions. The first thing I say is that this process isn’t about solving problems; it’s about decision making. When we think about typical problem solving, it involves a series of steps: 1) Identifying the problem…which involves making a decision on what the problem is; 2) Finding a solution…which means making a decision on what will solve the problem; 3) Implementing a solution…which means making a decision on how to put the plan into action. Therefore, when we talk about ‘problem solving,’ what we really mean is ‘decision making.’
