Bingo !!!

An event was held at my child's school the other day. 200 people participated in it and I was involved as a PTA member. One of the attractions at the event was a bingo game for children. The prizes and participants were ready, and the game was just about to begin when one of the PTA members came up with an interesting suggestion.

This parent thought it would be a good idea if each bingo game winner was able to choose any prize he/she wanted instead of having the prizes ordered in the usual hierarchical way in terms of their financial value. I thought this was interesting because it is exactly what "The Option Management" is about. The PTA members agreed and decided to adopt the suggestion.

What can I tell you about the outcome?

The results were as I expected. Every child who won a game, cried out Bingo! and then dashed up to the stage for their prize. All the children were allowed to choose prizes from the available selection - Pokemon toys, stuffed animals and miniature poinsettias were the most popular choices. But although they were the most popular, they were not the most valuable gifts by any means. It did not matter at all to the children which prize was the most expensive; they made their choice based on their own personal preferences.

I felt a great sense of success at seeing the children's faces light up as a response to winning the prize that they most desired. The basic principle behind "The Option Management" is very similar. Why should I decide what to give and do for my employees? Why can't they decide more for themselves and then tell me about it? By providing your employees with better choices, you will be avoiding any potential misunderstandings. As a result, they will get more satisfaction from their work, and trust you more. These feel-good factors lead to a more positive and progressive attitude towards work and will ultimately lead you into a Win-Win situation.

I would like to see "The Option Management" ideas adopted not only in the business environment, but also in other broader circumstances.