In a week that was probably way overdone in looking at various analogs used to aid in decision making, a series of articles to stimulate thinking along those lines is needed from time to time. We have all been in situations where a CEO or other key executive reads a popular management book and suddenly the decision paradigm blows with the wind of a new idea… sometimes even when it is only new to them. The same is true with a manager that gets an idea that life is like a funnel and then everything looks like a funnel. There is an old adage that people use less than 10% of their brain. This probably isn’t true, but it could be that many choose to limit their thinking to a comfortable dimension. Expanding minds means asking the question, “Why a funnel? Why not an inverted pyramid? Or something else creative?” Ah, so true that a mind is a terrible thing to waste on two dimensional thinking. Ask the man who decided to design the Sydney Opera House to look like sails in the harbor.

Image credit: vlue / 123RF Stock Photo (modified)

65G4KPF3XUZE

Feb 11 – Managing Decision Tunnels, Funnels and Planes – There are two symbols that are fundamentally different from each other, but both are used to describe similar events in the decision making process. The journey along a path toward a goal is often depicted as a long dark tunnel that we must stumble through, overcoming obstacles and conquering fear until we find the “light at the end.” The other analogy that is used to describe a journey is to see ourselves moving through a funnel, constantly narrowing our choices until we decide on the best alternative to bring us out into a successful outcome.  – more –

 

Feb 12 – The Sales Funnel Concept – Decision Making Part I – The Sales Funnel Concept is probably the best example of the funnel analogy being used as a snapshot and not a unique mapping device. Starting with multiple prospects and working downward through the funnel until it leads to the sale gives an obvious visual reference of starting big and ending small. This concept is also in use by many companies to depict recruiting new employees. The recruiting funnel begins with numerous candidates that are screened to a few that are interviewed for the ultimate hire.  – more –

 

Feb 13 – Overlapping Funnels – Decision Making Part II – The Sales Funnel Concept directly relates to the Recruiting Funnel used by many companies and search firms. It would seem that the Recruiting funnel would directly relate to the Job Search Funnel and it does to a certain degree. Here again, perspective is important. In order to understand when the two processes are in alignment, it is important for both the recruiter and the candidate to not only know where they are in the process but how that position changes decision making on both sides.  – more –

 

Feb 15 – Travel on a Level Plane – Decision Making Part IV – …When we allow our ideas and decisions to be driven by a narrowly drawn graphic we are either shortsighted, lazy or perhaps both. We also know that ordinarily the shortest distance between two points is a straight line and not some three dimensional concept. If we remove the walls of the funnel or tunnel, the result is a flat unbounded plane on which to move freely between points. – more –

 

---