A632.3.4.RB - Reflections on Decision-making

This week the text talks about managing frames to make better decisions and how to avoid framing traps by giving us three main steps to manage our own frames.  By reviewing these techniques and utilizing them I can become a better leader.

Three ways to avoid framing traps:

See the frame by conducting a frame audit: surface your frames, understand frames of others, appreciate emerging frames.

We use framing to perceive, interpret, judge, choose and act so it is important to be able to conduct a frame audit of yourself.  You also have to be able to understand the frames of others and accept emerging frames as they come.  An example of this for me is something that happened recently between my mom and I.  We do not see eye to eye on a lot of things and part of that is because I have not allowed myself to see her frame nor have I let her see mine.  After many arguments and fights I finally decided that we needed to sit and get it all out in the open.

The biggest thing for me was to not getting defensive over anything she told me but hear her out and understand where she was coming from in other words her frame.  After she spoke I went back over things to make sure I understood what she was saying and then explained it from my frame work so that she could see where I was coming from.  It was hard at first but by the end of the conversation we both found that we could communicate better because we understood each better.  

I can appreciate her frame and I could see that my own frame has changed and emerged as something better…and that is a better visual of where my mom is coming from.  Instead of competing with her and her way of thinking I decided to cooperate and let her know I get it now.  My recommendation on this would be that we should have done this a long time ago and that we can’t let our past dictate our future.  The biggest lesson I learned about myself here was that I have to let go of things I can’t control.  I can’t make someone see things my way if I refuse to see it from their perspective as well.  We cannot become better if we cannot acknowledge what holds us back.

Identify and change inadequate frames: are your frames effective, observe symptoms of frame misfit, recognize key assumptions, question your reference points.

          Using the example above with my mom I realize that one of my framing issues was the symptoms of frame misfits.  There was difficulty in communicating with her and that was a weakness in my frame because I didn’t want to be proven wrong.  I wasn’t putting myself on the other side of this by asking what I was overlooking or not seeing. We were both making assumptions which were causing us to sift information differently.  Without coming out and talking through our issues we both assumed things about each other which can cause problems that can then turn into major issues if not addressed immediately.  My recommendation on this would be recognize key assumptions that I make and understand why I make them.  What can I do change this?  The lesson here is keep an open mind and be able to make changes to my frame.

Master techniques for reframing: using multiple frames, look for ways to align frames, challenge others reference points, and build new frames for new situations.

          This last one works well with my job.  As the verification manager I am responsible for making sure that everyone understands how the processes work and this is where multiple frame works come into play.  I have to ask myself how each counselor looks at each verification. What about the director or manager?  How will they look at it?  What am I overlooking when I read the procedures?  Each counselor is going to approach verifications differently so I have to look at ways to align everyone’s frames.

          I also have to challenge others reference points.  When a counselor makes a mistake and tries to say they didn’t know instead of saying they are wrong I ask them where they found their information and if they can explain why they did it the way they did.  This way I can see where the problem lays.  Is it in the way the training is conducted?  Is the manual not clear?  What can I do to make it easy to understand?  By asking myself these questions after seeing their challenges I can improve and build new frames from this.

          The lesson learned from this is to make sure I am not assuming that just because I understand the frame work everyone else will as well.  I have to be willing to build new frames and challenge what I know and others reference points.