Decision-making, Planning & Organisation: The Basics Materials developed by the Learner Development Unit at the University of Bradford Learner Development Unit www.brad.ac.uk/developme

What you will learn: Different decision-making tools so that you can select a strategy to use. The issues to consider when making a decision as part of a group. How to priortise when organising yourself. How to manage tasks-completion.

Different decision-making tools so that you can select a strategy to use.

The issues to consider when making a decision as part of a group.

How to priortise when organising yourself.

How to manage tasks-completion.

The Plan… PMI and how to use it Using 6 Colour thinking Egan’s Skilled Helper model Tips for group decisions Planning & Organising 1 – allocating and prioritising Planning & Organising 2 – tracking tasks using ‘diaries’.

PMI and how to use it

Using 6 Colour thinking

Egan’s Skilled Helper model

Tips for group decisions

Planning & Organising 1 – allocating and prioritising

Planning & Organising 2 – tracking tasks using ‘diaries’.

Potential positive results of making the decision. Potential negative results of making the decision. Obstacles in making the decision. PMI and how to use it

PMI and how to use it

+ - Total Total Total

1. Next… Award each plus and minus a score between 1 and 10 in terms of it’s ‘strength’ (we call this ‘potency’.) Now look at your obstacles. - How many are there? - What score would you attribute to each to describe their potency? - If the score is less than 5 you may be able to make the decision without addressing the obstacle first

Award each plus and minus a score between 1 and 10 in terms of it’s ‘strength’ (we call this ‘potency’.)

Now look at your obstacles.

- How many are there?

- What score would you attribute to each to describe their potency?

- If the score is less than 5 you may be able to make the decision without addressing the obstacle first

1. Should I go on this expensive holiday with my friend? + - I haven’t had a holiday since this time last year – I deserve a break 8 I don’t enjoy long haul flights 6 How expensive is the holiday – I need the price details from my friend b4 deciding 7 I have that new credit card to pay with 6 I haven’t paid off my last holiday yet 10 The location will be beautiful and deeply relaxing 10 I don’t have enough cash saved up 10 Total 24 Total 26 Total 7

Activity: PMI Work alone. Try completing a PMI for a real or hypothetical decision to practise using the format for effective decision-making.

Work alone.

Try completing a PMI for a real or hypothetical decision to practise using the format for effective decision-making.

2. Using 6 Colour thinking Where is it from? - De Bono, E. (1999) The Six Thinking Hats 2 nd Ed., London: Penguin Books What is it?

Where is it from?

- De Bono, E. (1999) The Six Thinking Hats 2 nd Ed., London: Penguin Books

What is it?

2. What do they do? Colours = a different way of thinking. Helps to break decision-making down into manageable steps.

Colours = a different way of thinking.

Helps to break decision-making down into manageable steps.

So, it can be summarised like this:

So, it can be summarised like this:

Activity: Practise with 6 Colour Thinking Work with a partner. You can take a new real or hypothetical decision OR you can recycle the decision you used previously for the PMI activity. Apply 6 Colour Thinking in the order suggested.

Work with a partner.

You can take a new real or hypothetical decision OR you can recycle the decision you used previously for the PMI activity.

Apply 6 Colour Thinking in the order suggested.

3. Egan’s Skilled Helper model Gerard Egan Use of 3 stages matrix. ‘ Client’s’ issues are central. It is designed to help people become better at helping themselves in their everyday lives . (Egan 1998: 7-8) Empowering.

Gerard Egan

Use of 3 stages matrix.

‘ Client’s’ issues are central.

It is designed to help people become better at helping themselves in their everyday lives .

(Egan 1998: 7-8)

Empowering.

3. How can it help in decision-making? The Egan model aims to help the speaker address 3 main questions: - What is going on? - What do I want instead? - How might I get to what I want? It is a powerful tool when used between two people – the Decider and the Helper. You can move forwards, backwards, up and down through the model where you see an arrow.

The Egan model aims to help the speaker address 3 main questions:

- What is going on?

- What do I want instead?

- How might I get to what I want?

It is a powerful tool when used between two people – the Decider and the Helper.

You can move forwards, backwards, up and down through the model where you see an arrow.

3. How does it work? A Model of the Helping Process (Egan, 1996)

Activity: Navigating the Skilled Helper Model In pairs or trios apply the model to one another. The Helpers ask careful questions to tease out thinking and feeling responses to each stage and level of the matrix. The Deciders reply to the Helpers as honestly as possible as they move towards a taking a firm decision.

In pairs or trios apply the model to one another.

The Helpers ask careful questions to tease out thinking and feeling responses to each stage and level of the matrix.

The Deciders reply to the Helpers as honestly as possible as they move towards a taking a firm decision.

4. Tips for group decisions Importance of establishing/enforcing Ground Rules Consensus is powerful Reframing and reworking Taking versus making a decision The ‘Risky Shift’

Importance of establishing/enforcing Ground Rules

Consensus is powerful

Reframing and reworking

Taking versus making a decision

The ‘Risky Shift’

Planning and Organising 1 Time Tips Time allocation categories: Necessaries/Practicalities Compulsories Optionals Protected time Dividing the day Prioritising

Time allocation categories:

Necessaries/Practicalities

Compulsories

Optionals

Protected time

Dividing the day

Prioritising

Prioritising: High Importance Do it now Plan to do it well Low Importance Resist making this high priority Don’t succumb! High Urgency Low Urgency

REALLY break tasks down Denoting differences between study, personal & professional entries Get your highlighters out Tasks not done… Planning and Organising 2 Planning with a ‘diary’

REALLY break tasks down

Denoting differences between study, personal & professional entries

Get your highlighters out

Tasks not done…

The end… Questions, questions… Evaluations

Questions, questions…

Evaluations

What next? Check out our website for more learning materials: www.brad.ac.uk/developme Come along to another workshop: http://www.brad.ac.uk/lss/lssworkshops/ Contact us for 1-2-1 advice and support: - x6849 - Learner-development@bradford.ac.uk

Check out our website for more learning materials: www.brad.ac.uk/developme

Come along to another workshop: http://www.brad.ac.uk/lss/lssworkshops/

Contact us for 1-2-1 advice and support:

- x6849

- Learner-development@bradford.ac.uk