People today, overuse and misuse the word ‘problem’ and it is becoming an issue for me because, here at BoxOnline, our consultants use a special tool to solve problems and this tool is very effective – but only when you actually have a real, genuine problem. This is kind of like reaching for the screwdriver when you know that you need to tighten (or loosen) a screw. At the same time, you know from experience that a screwdriver is not very helpful when it comes to tightening or loosening bolts.
So, when a Client tells us that they have a problem, we get all excited because we are trained and experienced problem solvers. The thing is, most people claim to have a problem when what they really mean is that they have an issue or a situation instead. So, what exactly is a problem?
A problem can be defined as a situation where you have all 3 of the following circumstances simultaneously:
1) You have a deviation from norm.
2) You do not know the cause of the deviation.
3) You must know the cause of the deviation in order to continue
Let’s clarify the above a bit better. When there is a deviation from norm, something unexpected occurred and when you do not know why this something occurred, it is likely that you do not know the most probable cause for the deviation.
If your project is not able to continue after the unexpected thing occurred then you need to repair the damage. The best way to repair something is to know what broke. Thus, if you do not know the cause for an unexpected deviation and you cannot move forward, you have a problem. Most people (especially those with lots of experience) attack each problem with guesses as to the most probable cause (MPC). There are two issues with guessing:
a) it is hit or miss
b) you can’t pass your lucky guess on to others so that they could solve their problems in a similar manner
The good news is that problem solving is not rocket science. The method that we use was designed and layer out by Kepner Tregoe back in the 1950s to provide NASA with a powerful tool for solving real problems in space. This problem solving tool is one of the reasons that Apollo 13 was able to make it back to earth despite multiple systems failures. The process works.
We can apply our problem solving process to your problem and help you get to the bottom of it without guessing. If you have a problem and would like to see this process in action, one of our consultants would be delighted to help you so please feel free to contact us and let us know when you’d like to schedule a problem solving session.
If one or two of the three circumstances described above do not apply to your situation – YOU DO NOT HAVE AN ACTUAL PROBLEM. You have something else!
Analogy: You look at a board in the floor and spot a metal nail sticking out. You don’t want someone to trip over the nail or to cut their foot so you go get a tool to put the nail back where it belongs. Do you select a hammer or a screwdriver?
That’s right, as soon as we have labeled a given situation “a problem”, we can reach for the appropriate tool to help identify what the most probable cause is or was. Then the cause can be dealt with and your project can move forward again. Any questions?
Our consultants have been using this tool successfully for more than a decade. That’s the thing about good process, it never gets old.
Tags: Problem Solving
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