Uncovering The Hidden Options

BusinessUncovering The Hidden OptionsByRey Ramsey,Forbes Books Author.for Forbes BooksAUTHOR POSTExpertise and opinions of authors published by ForbesBooks. Imprint operated under license. | Paid ProgramJun 16, 2026, 10:28am EDTIf you want to make better decisions, you need to uncover your hidden options.gettyDecision-making that focuses only on problems will pull you toward the past, causing you to miss opportunities that push you toward the future. The greatest risk is imbalance. Both looking backward and forward have advantages and disadvantages, but one without the other creates incomplete choices. Balance requires the discipline and skills to diagnose problems as well as the imagination to envision something better: the hidden options. It Starts with RocksI borrow a concept from Stephen Covey called “Big Rocks,” a way to identify your most important strategic priorities and putting first things first. These Big Rocks differ from lesser issues, which he describes as pebbles, sand, and water. Organizations often stay busy with those smaller matters while their most important priorities receive less attention. Instead, choose three to five rocks to focus your time and talent on so that you have meaningful results to show for your efforts.Too often, rocks are framed as problems to solve, which creates a fixation on repairing what is wrong instead of aligning efforts toward the future. It is easier to focus on what is obvious than to explore what is hidden or unknown. To address that, I use what I call the M and M framework. It combines diagnosis, discovery, and design with an intent on balance.Two ColumnsThe exercise itself begins with a blank sheet of paper. Using a pencil or pen, draw a line down the center. In the left column at the top, you will write the word “Problems.” On the right, “Opportunities.” My experience across every sector is that the problem column fills up quickly. We all see the flaws within our companies, and therefore, we can enter all of them...