Choices and Traps

I feel that many of us elude ourselves into "satisificing" choices, especially in this down-turned economy. The word satisfice is the invention of Herbert Simon combining the words satisfy and suffice. The concept of making a satisficing choice is when a set of criteria are met and thus (as the criteria has been met) a decision is made. That is not to say that this is the best solution.

Example: You have a job offer for your minimum required amount in a location that fits your commuting needs. It also has the 3 weeks of vacation time that you desire. Do you take the offer? As far as the model goes, your criteria have been met. But, is it the best solution? Does it maximize your earning potential? Will this be a good fit for you?

In my situation, I feel that it will be difficult to meet my criteria. I will, therefore, be more likely to be at the mercy of the satisficing choice. To some extent, this is why I chose to take the Foreign Service Officer Test (FSOT), but I did not pass. The good news is that I was not caught in the "obscure trap" where I may have been strung along for months and then not make it to a job offer. This may have resulted in months of wasted time. (As a side note, I wasn't planning to only pursue the Foreign Service as a career option. That would be ridiculous.)

What about you? Do you take the "easy way"?

I'm getting ahead of myself. I'm in the midst of making my list of priorities. I am stepping back, deciding what I really want, strategizing, and executing my plan.

I am reading What Next? The Complete Guide to Taking Control of Your Working Life by Barbara Moses, PhD. The exercises are helpful in uncovering where I should be looking and how I should be prioritize my needs and desires. I thought I knew what I wanted in the MBA, but perhaps didn't take enough time to really understand my wishes.

Now, I'm taking my time because I can and the job market is less than desirable. I have endless choices and need to avoid those persnickety pitfalls. When I know what I want, I'll be targeting for it, and it will be mine.

The Johari Window

When others know me better than I know myself, I often wonder why I cannot see the obvious as well. For this, I find the Johari Window to be a useful tool benefiting my understanding of why I seem to be missing vital information about myself. The Johari Window allows me to close the gaps between how I see myself, how others perceive me, and how I can connect the dots.

Like most MBA concepts, the Johari Window uses the 4 square method to illustrate the concept.

I know what I think I am portraying to people around me. But, is that how they view me? This can be painstaking to uncover. Yet, the rewards for delving into this issue can be extraordinary. Suddenly, perhaps, you may realize that people like you for characteristics you never realized you possessed.

I am not suggesting that people are always correct in their perceptions, but perhaps you are exuding something which you did not realize. For example, I chose to apply for the Foreign Service recently. Several people (who did not know one another) suggested that I think about diplomatic relations as a career path. Frankly, I had never thought of it, but 3 different people from different backgrounds thought that it would be a perfect match for me. They saw something inside of me which I missed, a desire to use my communication and diplomacy skills in an ever-changing environment. I did not even know that people viewed me as "diplomatic" and yet several people have said it to me throughout the past year.

Slowly, I am painting a picture of the difference between how others see me and how I thought I projected myself. Between listening to others' opinions on me and understanding myself, I am minimizing those blind spots. I can see myself more clearly.

The Johari Window is a great personal tool. the better I know myself via curtailing the blind spots and decreasing the unknown, I will be a happier, more productive person.