a Consulting Collective

John Reece

Solving Symptoms

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Something is wrong! You see it… the thing you are expecting to happen is not happening. The quality of a product is not to spec. The turnaround time of a report with in-depth analysis is beyond the time you allowed. You see there is a problem and you ask your team to solve it. They work harder, and things start to get done quicker. The one quality issue that kept on popping up now goes away. You have effectively managed the situation and the problem is solved. But is it really?

The problem you saw was actually the symptom of not achieving a certain goal. Something was not happening. “We have a problem!” is heard throughout the halls. Yes, there is a problem. And in typical fashion, the desire to quickly solve the problem to make the symptoms go away can cover up real issues. Issues that can still cause goals to not be achieved.

Jumping to solutions before defining the problem results in biased assumptions of the cause which can be misleading. You do this because you assume you know the problem and the cause of the problem, and you want to fix it… quickly. When there is a disturbance, you want resolution.

Here is a reminder for all of us of a structured problem-solving approach.

  • Clarify or define the goal – What are you really wanting to accomplish?
  • Define the problem – What is the problem objectively stated, without weaving in any causes or solutions?
  • Discover the cause of the problem – What are the contributing factors to the problem? What influences on these factors? Eventually, what is the root cause of the problem?
  • Offer up possible solutions – What solutions address the problems? What are the resources needed?
  • Analyze solutions – How likely are they to succeed? Which one has the best ROI? Which one is the quickest to implement? Are there multiple parts of a solution?
  • Decide – Make the call. Clearly communicate the decision.
  • Implement – Support the decision with the resources committed to the solution.

Some problems you are able to identify and resolve without an intense process. You have already experienced something very similar or the same problem in a different context. However, guarding against solving a problem too quickly and missing a new problem you have never faced before is prudent.

There are few other issues to avoid when solving problems to insure the most effective outcome.

  • Assuming the cause of the problem is the same as one previously experienced because the symptoms are similar.
  • Immediately blaming employees or volunteers for doing something wrong, not caring, or not working hard enough.
  • Not having in place appropriate checkpoints and measuring the right interim results.
  • Shifting blame around as the root cause begins to be discovered.
  • Not allowing a solution to be fully implemented, including some perceived setbacks of the learning curve when a process has been modified or new process has been put in place.
  • Leaders assuming they are not involved with or are not the primary source of the problem.

If you do not encourage an environment of taking the time to truly solve the problem and instilling a balanced approach to continuously improving, problems can grow to a point of causing a larger impact on the organization’s performance that is eventually seen on the income statement in a negative way.

Are you focused on solving symptoms or problems? How do you encourage good problem-solving in your organization?

Employee Engagement is not a Marriage Proposal

You meet someone you want to spend time together building a relationship. You may come to realize you want to marry this someone special in your life. You know why you want to marry this person and how this person will make your life better. Our tradition in the U.S. is the man proposes marriage to his girlfriend. He commemorates her saying “Yes” by giving her an engagement ring.

Allow me to suggest employee engagement programs have elements like a marriage proposal. Team building exercises are a fun way to nurture relationships among coworkers. Sharing your organization’s mission and vision helps employees connect with the company. Recognition and compensation programs acknowledge and commemorate your employee’s contribution to the organization’s success.

That is about as far as we can take the marriage proposal analogy. Employee engagement programs should focus on more than the softer areas of communicating the mission, team building, and recognition, and thus, it is more than a marriage proposal.

The additional items needed to build into your organization to foster employee engagement are to

  • Establish a culture that encourages interacting with employees at all levels of the organization, not just peers.
  • Create process feedback loops that enable and encourage continuous improvement.
  • Integrate mission-mindedness and problem solving into day-to-day activities.

Interaction at All Levels

  • Seek input from others, especially those that are closest to the work being done.
  • Encourage conversations with upper management without fear of retribution from a perceived misstep.
  • Look for and appreciate the contributions made by each employee.

Continuous Improvement

  • Create an environment that encourages solving problems without fear of blame for causing the problem.
  • Establish a culture that strikes a balance between perfectionism and settling for status quo.
  • Define measures of performance to judge improvement without relying on opinions./li>

Problem Solving

  • Keep in mind the purpose, mission, and goals as the problem is being identified and defined.
  • Recognize that the most likely cause of a problem is found in the process not the people.
  • Apply a structured approach to solving the problem that includes analysis of the causes and possible solutions.

What areas in nurturing employee relationships deserves more attention?
Are your employees engaged in their work? How can the work your employees do be more engaging?

Are you ready to take the next step in committing to your employees?