how do you choose?
I have two teenagers (daughters) and one 21 year-old (son). Does that qualify me for a bailout? Ok, really, the thing I say to them most often, like a broken record – by the way, what’s the gen y version of ‘broken record’? – is “make good choices”.
Three Words
I think this is really really good advice. Three little words. But incredibly powerful. Think about it.
First, “make”. You make the choices. You are responsible. You must be responsible. I am not going to do it. I am not going to run your life. I am not going to ‘helicopter’ (micro-manage). Take charge. Live your life. Go out and make something! And “make” is non-negotiable – it’s not ‘try to make…’ It is a firm command!
Second, “good”. Our family has values. We have standards. We uphold certain things. We believe in certain things. So do you. My kids better know what ‘good’ is and they sure better know what isn’t so ‘good’. We’re pretty clear about this. Oh, and, notice I don’t say, “make great choices”. I mean, I’d like to, and I do expect flashes of greatness along the way. But, I can be happy with “good” and they can live “good” lives and be fine. There was a Sam’s Club employee rallying cry at one time called “HEATKTE” – high expectations are the key to everything. I agree. But, for teens, good is good enough I think. I know what is said around the corporate hallways, something like ‘good is the enemy of great’, and ‘good isn’t good enough’. But I think doing good is pretty darn good. (The definition of good includes: morally excellent, satisfactory in quality, right, proper, kind, honorable, worthy, safe, genuine…. I’ll take these traits in anyone, including my kids, co-workers, neighbors, friends, and, um, myself.)
Third, “choices”. This is my favorite word. In business vernacular, it’s what we mean by “strategies”. A strategy is simply a choice. We are going to head in this direction, we are going to use these means, we are going to deploy these resources. It implies that you are deciding how you are going to achieve your goal.
I often use the story of the Trojan Horse to illustrate. The Spartans and Trojans fought an epic, 10-year battle (over a mortal woman named Helen). The Spartans had a clear objective, get Helen back. They developed a clever strategy- to appeal to the Trojan’s ego by giving them a gift. They executed that strategy via a large wooden horse. They made a good choice – they gave a ‘gift’.
Choice is inherent in the argument of determinism vs free will. What really lies at the heart of “choice” is responsibility. If something goes wrong, was it my fault? Who can I blame? Was I over-served by that bad bartender? Pulled over by that mean policeman? Got a C from the lazy professor who doesn’t really get it? ‘It doesn’t matter how hard I studied, he was going to give me a C anyway.’ Really? If you have the will to make choices, you really can’t claim to be a victim. Choices preclude excuses!
Personally, I think it is in our power to decide and choose and do or not do, but that’s just me. Set aside determinism, fatalism, causality etc. We choose to do good, or not. My job isn’t to make those choices for my kids, but to ensure that they know what is and isn’t “good”. Then they choose. (I am more a philosopher than a physicist, by the way.)
From My Dad
Clearly, life is all about making choices. In fact, when I turned 40, my father sat me down to explain to me the secret of life. I think he figured maybe I was ready. Or, maybe he figured I wasn’t ready, but he was tired of waiting for me. Anyway, he said that, ‘in life, there are no answers, only choices’. This is so simple it’s profound. He basically said that I should keep looking for answers, but that those answers aren’t ‘out there’, but ‘in here’. And the answers come in the form of choices. We answer life’s toughest questions by the choices we make, the actions we take.
So, in business and in life, go out there and “make good choices”.
The implications for a business are just as impactful. Think if all your co-workers operated every day in every way to ‘make good choices’. They’d feel empowered to make something. They’d know what good is, based on the company’s goals and values. And they’d employ strategies to achieve those good goals. In this sense, there would be incredible alignment. Purpose. Teamwork. They wouldn’t make choices in a vacuum, but in concert with the company’s mission and in league with their fellow workers. They would no longer be victims. They’d act more like owners than employees.
So, think about it. And then make good choices!