Challenge your Assumptions: 3 Tips for Thinking Strategically
What we think is strongly shaped by our underlying beliefs and these show what we value. We use what we value to guide us personally and professionally. If we know what we value we will know our Underlying Beliefs. Sometimes these underlying beliefs and the assumptions that go with them will need to be challenged in order for us to grow and keep moving forward. This requires a shift in perspective to think strategically.
Recently a client shared how upset he was because he had received some ‘negative feedback’ from participants in a workshop he had delivered. He was focused on how qualified he was for the position, how many years experience he has, and how he had never received a ‘negative feedback’ in his 15 years of delivering workshops! He went on to say the presentation style and strategies he used in this workshop have always worked in other workshops.
How can you get this person to challenge his assumptions and to think strategically? Simply ask him to consider two scenarios:
In the first scenario, he was grateful for the feedback and he welcomed it by actually using it to improve future workshops. He even from there on invited his participants to make suggestions on how future workshops could be changed to ensure they get more out of them.
Second scenario, he did nothing with the feedback other than continue to feel hurt, insulted and treated unfairly. He was then asked which of the two scenarios would provide him with the most satisfaction, success and growth.
The answer was clear; the process is one of thinking strategically by challenging your assumptions. Here are 3 tips to use to help you think strategically:
- Stop being insulted and stop being a victim. This mindset keeps you stuck in the negative emotions which result in more feelings of being treated unfairly.
- Start being in control of your emotions; which will allow you to step aside and process challenging situations from a place of finding solutions. In this example the client would use the negative feedback as food for growth.
- Start being an explorer; this means you will need an attitude that is like a satellite that allows you to look at situations near and far by distancing your ego from the situation. You will be free to think strategically and objectively. This will allow you to pick up on key pieces of information that would better prepare you for your biggest growth!
A Life Coach is a great resource to use to help create a self-development plan. A Coach will work with you to provide tangible results and support you in transferring the results in all other aspects of your life. A coach will support you to be accountable to your self-development goals, as well as stop to celebrate your achievements along the way.
Call for a complimentary 15-minute coaching session:
call: 1-204-942-8179 or
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Website: www.UltimatePotentials.com
Live Well…Phyllis
