mindset

Certainty + Coverage

Weather forecasters predict the probability of precipitation by using the certainty + coverage formula. For example, a 40% chance of rain might include 80% coverage but only a 20% certainty or 80% certainty but 20% coverage.

The formula might serve value when considering strategic initiatives. What percentage of your enterprise’s constituents does a program serve, and what is the certainty that it will take place? During a consulting engagement with a chamber of commerce, they were seeking to increase air service to the community. It was one of their highest priorities. Their projected probability score consistently ranked high since they overestimated the certainty of attracting a new airline to the region and the number of people it would serve. The miscalculation persisted for another decade before market conditions shifted and new airlines began considering adding flights.

WIIFT

Have you considered the WIIFT mindset, because most of us are masters of WIIFM; What In It For Them (WIIFT) versus What In It For Me (WIIFM)? There is little friction to assuming a human-centered approach when we are the priority. The degree of difficulty increases as we try to empathize about the needs and priorities of other people. If we are articulating a Magnetic North (purpose, vision, mission, and values) or setting strategic priorities, the likelihood of it resonating is tied to a WIIFT framework.

Straw Man’s Opposite

Straw men are convenient to build and easy to destroy when trying to make a point that is far removed from the facts. They are an unfaithful way to summarize a debate. A steal man takes commitment. It is suggested that a good steal man conversation included the following: 1. A re-expression of the other sides point of view that is truthful to their mindset. 2. An accounting of the ways in which you and the other side agree. 3. A listing of the ways the other side has taught you something new. 4. Finally, a rebuttal with an expression of the points on which you disagree with the other sides point of view.

Straw men can be assembled and obliterated with almost no care. Steal men take an investment of time and thought. A steal man conversation build trust and care. How would you respond if a person with a different view took the time to launch a steal man conversation?

Reccuring Moments

What experiences do we encounter that reoccur? How might we make recurring moments remarkable? Who has made those moments unforgettable for you? Which enterprises delight you each time you engage them?

I once ran laps at the upper deck of the Houston International Airport parking garage during a long layover. There was a couple in a car plane spotting at one of the better vantage points. Each time I passed their vehicle, they consulted their aircraft tracking app and informed me about an inbound aircraft that I could spot in the sky, which was soon to land. They took their passion, meshed it with my repetitive workout, and made it memorable. I still think about that moment from ten years ago.

AI

I prompted my photo app’s virtual assistant to identify images that contained artwork from my albums. Along with photos of traditional art from museums, it also produced some random pictures, including car tires that I had taken for an online ‘for sale’ post. I would not have selected the car tires as artwork if I had done this task manually.

AI is adept at compiling lists of information rapidly. It has yet to navigate the process of determining the validity of its response. For example, I received a special event announcement via email. There were several typos and a reference to a non-existent calendar date. This error-filled invitation was quickly followed by an apology email stating that the AI-generated draft had been sent before the professional team had started editing.

If we want something quick and are willing to accept inaccuracies, AI may be a good starting point. If we want a piece that will resonate, human oversight is probably required.