Problem solving

The ability to solve complicated problems quickly is of vital importance in today’s economy. From childhood, people are taught to solve problems by trial and error, but this method is not practicable for managers who are confronted daily by economic, technical, political, and other problems. In business, many key problem-solving concepts seem obvious but are often overlooked, causing delays and frustration in finding solutions and accomplishing goals. However, managers can use a variety of strategies to solve messy problems quickly and easily.
• First define the problem—that is, what went wrong, and what impact the problem will have on the firm. This should be written down so that everyone who reads it will have a thorough understanding of what the problems is and why it is important. It is important at this stage to simply describe the problem and not offer solutions as yet.
• Spend time only on problems that are truly important. Managers should ask themselves, “What will happen if I don’t solve this problem?” If the answer is “not much,” then attention should be turned to more important matters.
• Test assumptions about everything and check all the facts. Managers should be sure that they and their teams understand the problem the same way and that their data confirm the problem is important. Assumptions about proposed solutions should be tested to improve the chances that the problem will be solved.
• Measure. The key question managers need to answer is, “How will I know when the problem is solved?” Managers should define specific measurements that will tell them objectively whether a problem has been solved.
• Measure the right things. A common measurement trap is to measure something because it is “interesting.” If knowing a measurement will not change anything (e.g., help one to make a decision, verify an assumption, or prove the problem is solved), then time should not be wasted in measuring it.
• Use project-management skills. Solving a big problem is a project and should be treated like one. This means identifying tasks, making and adjusting assignments, and keeping track of what is due when. It is important to obtain appropriate management support for the project.
• Look for solution owners rather than problem owners. Everyone participating in the situation owns the problem, like it or not—and nobody likes it. Managers can avoid the finger-pointing trap by looking for solution owners—i.e., the people who can do something to help solve the problem. This helps ensure a desirable outcome, since helping with a solution is much more fun than being blamed for a problem.
• Take action on purpose, not by default. Do it on purpose— that is, with conviction. Taking no action is a weak way to decide not to solve the problem—and is likely to leave someone making awkward explanations when the problem resurfaces.
• Communicate—don’t leave key stakeholders guessing. Being human, people are often bad about keeping others informed about the progress they are making, especially if there is little or no progress. Support and understanding is more probable if open and honest communication is maintained regarding what is happening.
• Avoid “bug mentality.” Fixing specific defects only fixes symptoms; like taking aspirin for a headache, it may provide relief but does nothing to prevent the next headache. Relieving symptoms is fine as a temporary measure but does little to prevent problems from recurring.
• Identify and fix the right root causes. Complicated problems have multiple root causes, probably more than can be fixed in a reasonable amount of time. Neither time nor money should be wasted on causes that are either insignificant in impact or are only peripheral causes of the problem.
• Choose solutions that are effective and implement them completely. Identifying the right root causes is necessary, but unless a solution is implemented, there will still be a problem. Solutions should be double-checked to ensure the causes of the problem will be eliminated. When this is done, the solution plan can be executed.
• Reward prevention. Although it is generally understood that it costs more to deal with crises than to prevent them, many companies do not recognize and reward those who push past the symptoms to the root causes, thus preventing future occurrences. Managers should focus on prevention by rewarding those who successfully prevent problems from occurring.
• Have the courage to say “no” when appropriate. If someone believes the problem can’t be solved in the time frame allowed or with the RESOURCES available, the best option is to say so right away. Accepting an impossible assignment is setting oneself up for failure. However, it is important to choose strategies for refusing to take on the project—i.e., gather evidence, explain what it will take to accomplish the desired results, provide documentation, etc.
• Meet all commitments. Problem solvers must do what they promise to do and not promise to do what they cannot deliver. Meeting commitments strengthens relationships and builds trust, both of which are needed to solve messy problems. If the situation changes and a commitment has to be changed, everyone involved needs to be informed immediately so they can make appropriate changes to their own plans.
• Solve the problem completely, and avoid being sidetracked by other things that do not address the immediate issue. The concept here is “everything necessary, nothing extraneous.”
• Make sure everybody who can contribute to the problemsolving effort is appropriately involved. The team should only include people who can work actively on solving the problem; people who need to know what is going on can be informed more efficiently in other ways. The concept here is “everyone necessary, no one extraneous.”
• Plan for things to go wrong. As the old saying goes, if something can go wrong, it will go wrong. Managers should determine what could get in the way of the problem-solving effort and develop appropriate contingency plans.
• Define specifically what successful completion of each task entails. Completion criteria should specify when tasks are due and what standard must be met to avoid misunderstandings and delays. Someone who has worked hard to complete a task does not want to then learn that he misunderstood and his manager wanted a sledgehammer rather than an ordinary hammer.
• Acknowledge and thank everyone who helps. Solving an important problem deserves recognition, and MANAGEMENT and other key stakeholders should be told what the problem-solving team has achieved.
See also GOAL SETTING.