10-10-10 Decision Making

by Suzy Welch – wife of Jack (GE) fm Today.MSNBC.com
enhanced by Peter/CXO Wiz4biz 7/11

Suzy Welch [wife of Jack Welch, long time CEO of GE], reveals her secret to life management — “10-10-10.” She explains how thinking about the impact of our decisions in multiple time frames invariably surfaces our unconscious agendas, fears, needs and desires — and ultimately helps us identify and live according to our deepest goals and values.

Chapter One: 10-10-10 in the light of day. On a hectic trip, I realized one morning, I needed to start making my decisions differently — proactively — by deliberately considering their consequences in the immediate present, near term, and distant future to re-claim my life. In 10 minutes … 10 months … and 10 years. If I did that, I figured with a fair amount of wonder, I might actually have my very own “life management tool.” for completeness & clarity.

How does 10-10-10 work?

1. State Question. Every analysis starts with a question – posing your dilemma, crisis, or problem in the form of a query. Having a defined question is essential, I’ve come to discover, because so many messy problems are intertwined with side issues and sub-issues, distractions and digressions, & bit players. Thus, the most effective analysis always start with determining exactly what issue, underneath it all the root problems – you’re trying to resolve.

2. Data Collection is next stage. Not to worry; you can conduct this part of the process in your head, on your computer, with pen and paper, or in conversation with a friend or partner — whatever works. The only real “requirement” is that you be honest and exhaustive in answering the following prompts:
Consequences. Given my question, what are the consequences of each of my options in
10 minutes? 10 months? 10years?
Now Short term Long Term

Detailed. Now, to be clear, there is nothing precise about each ten in 10-10-10. The first 10 basically stands for “right now” — as in, one minute, one hour, or one week. The 2nd 10 represents that point in the foreseeable future when the initial reaction to your decision has passed but its consequences continue to play out in ways you can reasonably predict. And the 3rd 10 stands for a time in a future that is so far off that its specifics are entirely vague.

3. Analysis is the last step of the process is analysis. For this stage, you need to take all the information you’ve just compiled and compare it to your innermost values — your beliefs, goals, dreams, and needs. In short, this part of 10-10-10 impels you to ask: “Knowing what I now know about all of my options and their consequences, which decision will best help me create a life that I want?”
And with the answer to that, you have your 10-10-10 solution.

(Continued in Premium Content: 2) the Beginning of 10-10-10, 3) Application, & more . . .)