The Problem with Problems

In the western world we like to look for causes to our problems. It's ingrained in our mindset, hard wired into our brain; it's almost like our lifeblood. We feel that if we go into all the possible details of what may have caused the problem, we will be able to solve it.

The short version of this would be ... work out the problem, work out the desired outcome and then design the solution to fix it

WRONG!

How can that be wrong?

Let's look at an example.

The Problem - an employee who isn't coping with changes in the way the business is going to interact with the customers and the presentation and style of the delivery to the customer.

Susan has an employee that is causing her grief. The staff member has the "go slows", the "I can't do that's" and the personal attacks on Susan when she enquires about the underlying issues. These were just a few of the issues.

The Solution - Communicate with the staff member the reasons for the changes and provide assistance and training to help them adapt.

More personal attacks along with the tears and "drama" scenes, in front of other staff, in attempt to get them to side with her.

The Solution - Up the ante, by increasing the amount and frequency of change so that the member of staff leaves of their own accord.

Staff member leaves and a new one appointed.

The Problem - an employee who isn't coping with changes in the way the business is going to interact with the customers and the presentation and style of the delivery to the customer.

Hang on isn't this a new member of staff? Yes

What happened here was that the type of staff member Susan appointed was virtually identical to the one that left. Why was that? Didn't she learn anything?

The Alternative

Change the way we look at the situation.

By using a problem solving approach the outcome is commonly a short term solution, (as Susan discovered); because the you solved that problem doesn't mean there aren't more backed up behind that original one looking just the same.

Susan discovered that she needed to look at the principals and then the practice.

The principals: Susan discovered were that the selection criteria for the job were correct but she'd not articulated where the business was going, the expectations of independent decision making, a level of personal creativity and self discipline.

The practice, Susan sat down and discussed in detail where the business was going, working with the new staff member to discover her skills and interests, what additional skills she would like to acquire and where she saw her future.

The outcome; an empowered member of staff, a new way of looking at employing future staff, articulating the responsibilities of the position and getting the new staff to realise that they need to grow personally for everyone's benefit.