Pain-Gain Decision Exercise

Pain-Gain Decision Exercise

Overview

This tool can be used with individual clients or teams to facilitate decision-making when facing change. While a list of pros and cons might be helpful, the Pain-Gain exercise can help client(s) go deeper, to evaluate the pain and gain of both making, and not making, a change.

How to use this tool

1. Start by creating a grid with four quadrants, labeling the columns “Pain” and “Gain” and the rows  “Current” and “Future.”
   
   

   	PAIN	GAIN
   CURRENT
   FUTURE

2. Ask your client to name the pain.
   
   
3. Top left square - CURRENT PAIN:
   - How is the current situation causing pain?
   - What is the pain (or cost) to remain in the current situation?
   - What about the current situation isn’t working?
   - What is missing from the current situation?
   - What impact is the current situation?
   
   
4. Bottom right square - FUTURE GAIN:
   - What are the benefits (gain) of making the change?
   - Who will benefit?
   - Why are the benefits important?
   
   
5. Top right square - CURRENT GAIN:
   - What is the benefit of the current situation?
   - Who benefits from the current situation, and what is gained by maintaining the status quo?
   
   
6. Bottom left square - FUTURE PAIN:
   -What pain might the change cause? (e.g., what effort will it require and of whom? What will it cost?)

After the Pain/Gain grid is completed, process the exercise by asking what stands out. Any surprises? What option makes the most sense right now? What additional information is needed to help make a decision?

Final thoughts

The Current-Gain and Future-Pain boxes are where the energy is! Grappling with these questions can bring enlightenment and validation to why change is not happening. These are the boxes that are ripe with unlimiting beliefs or unconscious awareness. This exercise can be used during a session or as homework and can be revisited in the future as the change process progresses.

Adapted from a variety of sources including https://better-teams.com/pain-gain-a-decision-making-tool, with important input from Boon Coach Maryann Rodriguez; Jamie Fuentes, Director of Coach Experience; and, Robin Axelrod, Co-Founder + Clinical Advisor.

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Looking for more advice about how to use this tool? Drop a note in the #general channel on Slack to see what your Boon colleagues have to say, or join us for Office Hours. Looking for additional support? Please email [e-mail] and we will get you squared away!