A632.3.4.RB - Reflections on Decision Making

It is quite simple to fall victim to frame blindness within an organization, the reason being that we often prioritize and make decisions as they fit our own department’s frame of reference, not even being conscious of the framing of other departments and their own goals. Just as our text emphasizes we can avoid framing traps and actually manager them effectively (Hoch, Kunreuther, & Gunther, 2001). The following passages will go into detail on a few methods to avoid framing traps, and how they could be applied to my own personal experience.

One key method of avoiding frame traps is recognizing the frame by conducting a frame audit. In my experience this is the first step to managing and navigating various frames, as our text states if we don’t know they exist then we can understand them (Hoch et al., 2001). In my own organization we prioritize sharing our frames of perspective with outside departments through cross functional meetings. Meaning, during the first meeting that is held for any sort of cross functional project every internal stakeholder has the opportunity to share about their own experience and the framing they best understand. This process acts as a pretty effective frame audit.

Another method worth implementing is identifying and changing inadequate frames. It should be noted that even if a frame exists it does not mean that it is a frame that should be followed. As our text points out a frame can be deemed weak if it does not provide value (Hoch et al., 2001). My organization does not currently have a method to identify and change framing, but where I could see one being implemented is in the project planning phase. During the planning phase while all stakeholders and frames are being identified the frames and their effectiveness could also be evaluated.

The last method we will evaluate are the master techniques for reframing. One critical component to mastering reframing is utilizing multiple frames, this consists of placing your own perspective within other frames (Hoch et al., 2001). My own organization enables senior leadership to have access to these other frames by encouraging skip level meetings. At these skip level meetings senior leadership have the opportunity to hear from team members that are further down the organization hierarchy from themselves. These skip levels have the goal to expose and share various frames of perspective that senior leadership might not have access to otherwise.  

Framing traps are about as dangerous as they sound. The awareness of framing and its impact on your own and your team’s decisions is critical. Effectively navigating those frames is just as critical as it has a direct impact on the success of your decisions. After learning more about framing and methods to avoid frame traps I can certainly anticipate utilizing these methods in the future.

References

Hoch, S. J., Kunreuther, H., & Gunther, R. E. (2001). Wharton on making decisions. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons Inc.