The options/procedures filter is important in decision-making.
When asked why they chose their present job, some will say that they were seeking a new opportunity, stimulation, travel, etc. Others might describe how they received an email from an acquaintance who mentioned a vacancy at this particular company … How they then made an initial approach via the web which led to a telephone interview, and so on.
In the first case we get the criteria for the decision (i.e. what’s important to them) and in the second we see the procedure they followed. The options/procedures filter has consequences for the preparation of business proposals and decision making.
Someone with a preference for Options will be much more engaged by descriptions of what the thing will do and how that is relevant to his or her situation. Conversely, anyone who leans towards a Procedures preference will want to know the steps and process necessary to get to the successful delivery of the product or service.
Clearly, the world is not that simple. So we recommend that any proposal has the key criteria defined and outlines the process which would be followed. It is also worth noting that a final decision will need a procedural conclusion made up of who, what, how, and by when? If someone is extremely Options oriented there is a risk that they will constantly add or request new information.
Some examples of the language that will be more attractive to people in a given mode are as follows:
| Options | Procedures |
|---|---|
| • “Here are the options” • “Opportunity” • “Choice” • “Break the rules just for you” • “Another, better way” • “Unlimited possibilities” • “Sky’s the limit” | • “The right way” • “Proven” • “Methodology” • “Follow the procedure” • “First … then … after which …” • “Tried and tested” • “This is how to use this” |