Problems at Work: the Big, the Bad and the Ugly

Do you have a problem so big at work that you don’t know where to start? One of those broad, messy performance problems that seems to be getting worse over time? I’ll bet you’ve even had numerous meetings to discuss the issue. And in those meetings more issues were brought to the surface, more discussions – but you never seemed to land on a solution. You are not alone!

Many Problems are Complex

Just as complex machines are made of simple parts, so are complex problems. Our job is to find a way to separate the pieces, analyze each one, and see which ones could be having the biggest impact on the overall problem. 

Last year we opted to put a brand new engine, at great expense, into our 15-year-old riding lawn mower. Our expectation was that it would run like a dream. In reality, we ended up spending most of the summer making more trips to the repair shop. What we discovered is that there are a lot of parts aside from the engine that can cause a mower not to run properly.

Many times in business we do the same thing – we throw big money at a problem, proclaim it solved, and wipe our hands of it only to have the same problem, or a variation of the theme, reappear. Why? Because perhaps we failed to identify the real issue, we only addressed the effects of the problem, or we took action on causes that had little impact.

Include Analysis Steps When Searching for Solutions

The key to solving a complex problem is to resist the urge to head straight to an action plan immediately after identifying the problem. Take the time to analyze, using the following three steps:

• Separate all the issues that are contributing to, or are a result of, the central problem. 
• Look at each sub-issue and determine how serious, how urgent, and the trend over time (is it growing or has it always been this way). 
• Decide if the sub-issue is a cause of the central problem or an effect.

If you follow the process, you will be well on your way to adopting the best course of action to solve a complex problem.  And those broad, messy situations can become manageable.

Janice Horne will be presenting a session at the BPG 13^th Annual Training and Performance  Conference, “Situation Analysis: A Powerful 5-Step Process for Solving Problems” on September 20^th.

More about Janice Horne (Bio)