There’s a general systems thinking idea that states :
“if people are part of the problem, then they are also part of the solution”.
It’s true.
The answer to many problems, as I coach so many managers, is right in front of them; it's themselves, and the team.
It just needs managers and leaders to look at the problems differently, and this is the hard part. It requires them to realise they are part of the problem. They likely helped to create the problems in the first place. They probably should own the problem too.
However, it's easy in work to pass the burden. To rely on external solutions such as contractors, change “specialists”, shiny tooling - anything so long as it promises to solve the problems. Anything so long as I don't have to accept I am part of the problem - and I have a key role in solving many of them.
- Why do tech solutions rarely solve problems?
- Why do change programs fail so often?
- Why do companies keep spending on consultants who aren’t solving problems?
Because leaders and managers are not looking within, or they are avoiding what they see when they do look.
Solving problems often means looking at the problems differently - and with a different attitude.
Instead of looking at them and asking "who can I get to solve this?", it helps to look at problems and ask "how can I help to solve this?".
Here are some ideas and exercises I use with leaders and managers, you may find them useful, entertaining or interesting.
Draw a circle around yourself and look for problems there first
This exercise usually results in my contract being terminated. I'm joking. It is a tough conversation to have though, but really is the fundamental key to unlocking problems in the workplace.
Leaders and managers must understand that almost every problem in the business is a) theirs to either own or contribute to and b) created by them in some way.
- Low performing people who aren't getting feedback or coaching
- Information missing, resulting in people doing the wrong thing
- People doing the wrong thing because they haven't been trained, or there's little clarity and alignment
- Teams fighting with each other because leaders encourage it, or aren't nurturing cross functional relationships
- People leaving the organisation because there's no meaning, growth and satisfaction working there anymore
- And on and on
As such, taking ownership of problems is the first step.
You stop passing the burden to others
When we take ownership of problems in our department, teams or units, we stop passing the burden.
We don't point fingers, blame others or play the victim.
We accept what is happening, even if it's terribly bad right now, and we look at these problems differently; they are ours now - and we play a role in solving them.
When we own something - we look at it differently. Instead of looking to pass it to someone else, push it to someone in our team to deal with or turn our backs on it, we look it straight in the eye and figure out how to solve this problem.
I see this so many times. Instead of passing the burden of problems, when a leader or manager truly acknowledges ownership of it - they get it fixed.
You have influence and power
There's another reason for drawing a circle around ourselves and looking for problems there too; you understand that you created these problems in the first place - intentionally or not.
Believe it or not, you have power as a leader and manager. You may think you don't wield it, if you're a less direct sort of leader, but you still have power. You have role power.
An innocent comment here, a point of view in a discussion, a request for a report that you send late - they all have consequences.
I've taken leaders to the consequences of their actions many times (we call it the Shadow of the future) and they are often mortified with what they see.
In one company the managers asked for a weekly report on customer cases (stage in lifecycle, how many, who was working on them).
It started as an innocent request for data - it resulted in the teams creating 12 extra stages for work to move around in (so people could avoid being blamed). Just before the snapshot was taken people would move cases around randomly - any other queue except mine.
It was carnage. The customer suffered and the leaders had no idea of the carnage they had created.
In one company, on a Monday morning, I asked a senior leader to speak to his Head of Channel Marketing and ask her how her weekend was.
He obliged, although somewhat confused as to why.
When he came back from the meeting he was furious, with himself.
What was an innocent corridor conversation on a Friday afternoon about a new potential channel of communication, resulted in the Head of Channel Marketing working the entire weekend, missing her sons swimming tournament and generally being a little annoyed by the whole thing.
The leader didn't realise that his conversation, that lacked any clarity of context nor time speak, came across as an immediate request.
What was even more frustrating for him was that this had been happening for the last year - and he had no idea.
His entire leadership team were working evenings and weekends - because he didn't communicate with clarity. He was the cause of people over-working.
He even praised them often for being so quick to turn around work and requests - they took this as a sign to keep working more evenings and weekends (these were obviously the value of this team) - he hadn't realised he'd created this problem.
Follow the consequences of any decision you make - and see what happens in the organisation.
A seemingly innocent comment in a discussion will influence decisions, what you ask questions about often - shows what is important to you. People will see you as the boss, even if you don't think you're wielding any role power.
Draw a circle around yourself and look for problems there.
Is the problem (and potential solution) within our control?
Is what we are wrangling with under our control? Can we do anything about it at all?
You would be surprised how many managers take on problems that they have absolutely no control over. They form teams to solve problems that they simply cannot ever solve. These problems are outside of their control, yet they try to solve them.
Seems mad to state this but I see this so often. Teams mobilised to solve a problem that is outside of their control. I suspect, at the heart of the problem, is somebody, somewhere, passing the burden to teams who cannot solve the problems.
Explain the problem to a child
I ask leaders and managers to explain the problem to a child.
When we explain business problems to a child we have to use simple language and clear visuals. We have to explain hard concepts and how the process or problem works.
By doing this exercise we are more likely to understand the problem more deeply. If we can clearly understand, and articulate, the problem to a child - we are half-way to solving it. Sometimes, when we explain a problem to somebody, we often solve it right there and then.
It's important to point out here though, that the symptoms of problems are often very easy to explain - but they are not the problem. If you solve symptoms without solving the underlying problem, the problem will surface again, sometimes in different symptoms than before.
There are no solutions, just compromises
I think many people assume a problem, once identified and understood, will be solved in its entirety. This is likely not going to be the case. It will instead be partially solved with a series of compromises. You will live with some aspects of the problem, some will be solved and problems will be created elsewhere (hopefully not so impactful that they too need solving).
We're always compromising. Always. It's important then to think through the consequences of your solutions - and what compromises you wish to make.
Come up with many solutions
Many people strive for a single solution; a best practice, a gold standard, an off the shelf framework, one single answer - but the reality is there are likely many solutions.
Creative problem solving is the key to solving problems. A subset of creative problem solving is lateral thinking; the art of thinking broadly and widely to find potential solutions and ideas.
Instead of trying to look for THE solution, it’s better to search for A solution.
There could be many ways to solve the problem (and compromises, so it’s a good idea to generate as many solutions as possible.
Write down what you’re missing
When we look at problems we often look only at what we can see; the evidence, data, observable stuff. But what about all of the things we cannot see?
It’s a good practice to start jotting down what’s possibly missing.
- What data is missing?
- Does any data counter the data we have?
- Where have we not looked?
- What could we be missing?
- Does this problem match previous problems and did we have access to something else back then?
Sometimes, when we look for what is missing, we get a more complete picture of the problem and sometimes, we find the solution(s).
What’s the opposite of the problem?
Write down what the opposite of the problem would be?
Sometimes when we see the problem in the opposite way, we realise the problem isn’t so bad, or isn’t so tricky to solve, or isn’t so overwhelming.
Sometimes, the solution to the problem (the opposite), may be worse than living with the problem itself.
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With all of these approaches to solving problems, I think it's important to include those who are “part” of the problem in the thinking. It's too easy to see a problem from the outside, the edge, or with your own limited beliefs. It's important then to get as many perspective on the problem as makes sense. Too many and you run the risk of decision by committee and an overwhelming number of opinions. Too few and you may miss something crucial in your analysis or ideation.
The best ideas ALWAYS come from the very people in the mix of the problem.
Often they’ve been shouting about the problem for years and they know how to solve it, but managers rarely listen. That’s why it’s important to draw a circle around the manager or leader and start there.
