How to Solve Problems

By Larrywomack.com

Leaders have responsibility for ensuring the future. The present should be out of their hands, out of their reach. Managers and workers secure the present. Though each responsibility requires critical thinking, it is important that individuals in each category apply critical thinking where they can make the greatest impact.

Another way to look at the present/future demands in a company is through the terms organization and business. Organization is the structure in which work takes place. Business is the outcome of work. Organization is present. Business is future.

Examine your own daily routine. How much time do you spend doing things that are urgent? How much on things that are important? Or on other tasks like correction versus prevention, worry versus concern, action versus preparation? The present words—urgent, correction, worry, action—are legitimate activities in any work environment. The future words, though, are what profits are made of.

DECISION MAKING PROCESS

Determine a desired outcome
Collect pertinent information from a variety of informed sources.
Validate the information collected.
Determine that the information is useful to address the challenge.
Develop a solution, idea, or answer based on a rational, non-judgmental interpretation of the information collected.

This process is as applicable to routine decisions as it is to long-range business planning. Take your time when making decisions, reason through the implications of possible courses of action, and know your sources of information and trust them. Admit your ignorance. It’s the highest sign of intelligence and the path to good decisions.

ADDRESSING PROBLEMS

A problem is the difference between things as they are and things as they are perceived to be. Most of us rush to solve a problem before we know what the problem really is. In fact, what we see most often is the effect of a problem and not the cause of it; and we solve the effect, allowing the problem to manifest somewhere else. Many solutions just shift problems elsewhere.

The trickiest part of certain problems is lack of recognition that the problem actually exists—denial. For example, a sales manager may want to eliminate complaints, so he just stops recording them. With no record of the complaints, therefore, they no longer exist. Pushing a problem under the rug leaves a hump to stumble over.

Most work-related problems arise when someone takes someone else at his or her word. There are two kinds of people in this world: those who do work and those who make work. Those who make work create the problems and those who do work solve them.

When examining a problem, identify three reasons why something isn’t working or going right. If you don’t see at least three things that might be the cause, you probably don’t yet understand the problem. Try blaming yourself for a change. If you find it is not your problem, don’t try to solve it. If it belongs to someone else, make it that person’s problem. When you are involved in helping someone to solve a problem, always have smart questions instead of smart answers. People learn best by answering questions for themselves.

Following are the basic steps for all effective problem solving:

Write the problem on a piece of paper.
Identify three possible causes of the problem.
Try blaming yourself.
Get to the root cause of the problem.
Use a process for solving the problem.
Place the problem and the solution where it belongs.

RIGHT SOLUTION

Make sure that the correct process is used to solve a particular problem. Here are the four basic formats for addressing problems in the workplace:

Executive order. If all that is required is a decision, make a decision and go with it.
Bring in an expert. If the knowledge for the solution lies outside the organization, bring in a professional to deal with it.
Form a problem-solving team. When a problem exists across disciplines, bring in representatives of the affected areas and use the collective knowledge to address the problem. Make sure, however, that the team understands its mission. That might be to solve the problem or to bring possible solutions to a decision-making body.
Ignore it. Many issues that are called problems are no more than idiosyncrasies of individuals. If the presentations of such issues are ignored, the individuals usually come to recognize the futility of further exhortations.

HOT TARGETS

It’s amazing how you can learn business lessons when you least expect them. The other day, for example, my wife and I went shopping at the mall. While she was looking at clothes, I went to the video arcade to see the latest games. I watched three young guys taking turns at a new virtual reality game where the objective is to “lock on and fire” at all the warheads and unfriendly aliens careening toward them, eliminating the warheads and aliens—hot targets—before they eliminate the players.

The young men navigated through the various levels of the game with uncommon speed and precision. I had just accepted a management/

marketing consulting engagement with a restaurant where little problems were turning into big ones. Part of my assignment was to develop a problem-solving matrix to enhance customer experiences at the restaurant. I couldn’t help wondering if it were possible for the restaurant staff to achieve success similar to that of the young video game players during a busy breakfast, lunch, or dinner shift, where dodging service warheads and aliens is a routine event.

Any restaurant owner, operator, or manager knows that developing a solution-oriented staff is a tall order. But in the video-game battle unfolding before me, I saw a great opportunity to create a system to handle the countless situations that have the potential to become full-blown problems during any busy time at a restaurant.

Borrowing ideas from watching the young men play the video game, I came up with six steps that could be taught to restaurant employees to make them more responsive to customer needs when a problem occurs:

Spot the trouble.
Identify it.
Call it a “hot target.”
Move immediately to it.
Handle it.
Move on to another task.

What works with the “lock on and fire” approach is its simplicity and effectiveness in uncovering little shortcomings before they escalate into big problems. There’s no step for assigning blame. Why bother? It only stalls the solution.

Take the following scenario, for instance. A customer doesn’t receive his or her order because a server or line cook has lost the ticket. The usual exchange goes something like this:

“Where’s the ticket? I need it!”

“I put the ticket in.”

“I haven’t got it. You lost it.”

“No, you lost it.”

“So whaddya want from me?”

This problem-escalation technique actually solves nothing while the customer, meanwhile, sits, waits, waits and waits, and of course suffers. No ticket … no food … no drink. No service … no tip … no return to the restaurant! Ouch! The resulting negative word of mouth can be devastating.

The “lock on and fire” concept clarifies the problem-solving behavior patterns wanted for employees in terms they not only understand but also identify with and remember. The secret is the slang. Buzzwords—in this case “hot target,” “lock on,” and “fire”—cut through the verbal clutter circulating in the day-to-day operation of the restaurant. Using them makes what you say and the action you want to happen immediately clear.

The imagery of “hot target” along with “lock on and fire” instills a sense of urgency in the staff to solve a problem before or at least soon after it arises and, above all, so that the guest is satisfied “to the max!”

The applications are many. Overflows at the hostess stand. A plate backup at the expediter window. Messed-up orders that have to be corrected immediately. Food about to be overcooked. Food already overcooked. Food getting cold. A drink about to be served in the wrong glass or with the wrong garnish.

By identifying those situations as “hot targets,” they become top priority. “Lock on” (move immediately to the problem) and “fire” (handle it) describe the action plan to correct the situation . . . right now!

Everyone in a restaurant should have the power and the responsibility for spotting his or her hot targets and executing the rest of the problem-solving process. If someone abuses the system—fails to follow through or cries wolf too often—the responsibility should be taken away.

Managers face a different challenge when they are dealing with hot targets. First, they have to fix the problem and then later worry about what caused it. Of primary concern are problems that occur three times or more during a shift. In those cases managers take in-depth follow-up measures at the source to eliminate repetition of the same hot target.

The key, remember, is to keep hot targets from repeating, not to find out who was at fault. In the end, if you can’t figure out better ways to recognize your hot targets and correct them quickly, you can’t improve at the game. And that’s your fault. It’s not a good position to be in when an unfriendly alien has you dead in its sight.

EFFECTIVE PROBLEM SOLVING

Effective problem solving requires an organized approach, knowledgeable problem solvers, collaboration, and the appropriate tools. Here is another basic problem-solving process:

Define the problem.
Generate a number of alternative solutions.
Specify criteria by which the solutions can be evaluated.
Apply criteria to evaluate solutions and settle upon one to be implemented.
Implement the solution.
Seek feedback on the effectiveness of implementation.

Here are four additional useful tools for solving problems: problem statements, the five why’s, brainstorming, and Plan/Do/Check/Act (PDCA).

PROBLEM STATEMENTS

Stating the problem in a concise, clear, and logical form is an absolute necessity. The dictionary definition of a problem is “any question or matter involving doubt, uncertainty or difficulty.”

In one of the classic books on problem solving, The Rational Manager, the idea of “specifying a problem” is introduced. “Precise specification of a problem is the most valuable single tool a manager can have for solving any kind of problem.”

Often managers jump to solutions (or conclusions) about problems before taking the time to precisely and correctly state the problems. A rule of thumb is 20 words or less for problem statements. More than that and you probably aren’t ready to begin solving it.

THE FIVE WHY’S

Asking the simple question Why? about five times often leads to the root cause of a problem or at least to a clear and concise problem statement. Use the “five why’s” in the initial stage of problem solving to assure that the issue being examined is really a problem with the cause unknown.

Using the tool is easy, but may require tact. By the third or fourth Why?, someone could get uneasy or downright mad. Here’s how it works: First, identify the problem and write it as a statement. Ask Why? If the question can be answered, either the answer is the root cause or becomes the new problem statement. Continue this process about five

times. The problem statement (solution) usually becomes apparent by the fifth time. The “five why’s”: simple? yes; easy? no. But using the tool assures that a person or team will be trying to solve a real problem and not “chasing rabbits.”

BRAINSTORMING

Brainstorming is an idea-generating technique developed in the 1930s that is designed to get a maximum number of ideas “on the table” in a small amount of time. It’s used to generate a wide variety of ideas about a particular subject using a group (or team). Brainstorming acknowledges that, as individuals, we often screen out our

ideas or in some way thwart our full creativity. The tool is useful anywhere that ideas need to be generated to solve a problem or improve a process. Use brainstorming in meetings whenever a list of items or ideas is being developed. The main rules are for all

participants to have equal voices and no idea to be criticized. It is a way to have everyone involved.

The goals of brainstorming are:

Generate a wide variety and large number of ideas about a specific problem or idea.
Ensure that everyone on the team participates.
Avoid overlooking critical areas.
Create an atmosphere of creativity and cooperation.

This is an easy and fun problem-solving tool. Usually a team leader or someone appointed to lead the group will guide the session. His or her role is to keep the group focused, record the ideas and encourage participation. The general rules for effective brainstorming are:

One idea at a time to encourage participation —”off-the-wall” ideas count.
Record all ideas.
Don’t criticize.
No one is allowed to judge another’s ideas.
Don’t discuss ideas; that will come later when the group prioritizes them.
Take turns. Let the team build on each other’s ideas.
“Rank” or position is left at the door.
All team members are equal.

Brainstorming provides several benefits. First, it is an easy and enjoyable way to generate a list of ideas. Second, the free-form approach encourages creativity. Third, everyone participates. This process often results in original solutions to problems.

PLAN/DO/CHECK/ACT

The Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle is an organized and disciplined approach to problem solving. As a tool that uses brainpower and rational thinking, it is an important element for assuring continuous improvement. Dr. Walter A. Shewhart developed the PDCA cycle while working for Bell Laboratories in the early 1930s. Dr. Edwards Deming introduced it in Japan. The Japanese began calling it the Deming cycle because he made it such an important part of his recommendations for improving manufacturing.

Initially, management was considered to be responsible for the Plan function, workers for the Do function and inspectors for the Check function. Management also was responsible for the Act or action function. This was allied to the belief that management did the thinking and the worker did the work.

When the empowerment of workers was introduced, the PDCA cycle became an important part of continuous improvement. Deming stressed that the four steps be rotated constantly, with quality as the top criterion. The PDCA cycle evolved into the PDSA cycle with the word Study being substituted for Check, but the approach remained the same.

The PDCA cycle can be used in any human endeavor. In manufacturing, Deming stressed that reduction of variation is essential to continuous improvement. PDCA accomplishes that and brings a process under statistical control.

The tool is most useful when used by empowered employees in a team setting. It brings an organized problem-solving approach based on knowledge and learning from the repeated use of the PDCA process.

Here is the process for identifying a problem to be addressed through the use of the PDCA process:

Define the problem and a problem statement.
Determine what information is needed to address the problem.
Decide how things will be different once the problem is solved.
Assess current situation.
Identify and verify root causes of the problem. Use brainstorming or cause-and-effect diagrams for this purpose. It is important to verify problem causes with data and to be sure that the data is collected from reliable, knowledgeable sources.

IMPLEMENTING PDCA CYCLE

From the knowledge gained from the above, establish a set of assumptions from which to develop a Plan. Decide who will carry out each step. It is important that those to be affected by the change be included in the planning phase. Decide how long the change will take, how progress will be monitored, how to handle unexpected problems and what to do to ensure success. Do not proceed without a plan.

The Do stage of the PDCA cycle requires carrying out the plan on a small scale to test the improvement theory. The test must follow the plan steps and the theory being tested.

In the Check stage, the results are learned from reviewing the data from the test along with the effect on people and other systems.

In the Act stage, actions are taken based on the results of the check stage. If the results are favorable and show that no further testing is required, the solution should be adopted. If there are still issues to be resolved, the plan should be adapted and retested. If the solution does not appear to bring the desired results, it should be abandoned and a different solution tested using the PDCA.

PITFALLS

When teams are used to solve problems, several pitfalls can arise:

The tendency to get locked into a particular definition of the problem, or to a particular solution, too earl
The tendency, after a meeting is over, for associates to have widely different recall of key issues, key decisions, and proposed courses of action, despite the fact that almost everyone kept notes.
The tendency to get caught between trying to operate as a small team capable of easily coming to agreement or involving a larger team, thus gaining a broader perspective but increasing the difficulty in reaching agreement.
The tendency for associates to become impatient and so emotionally embroiled in some of the group’s issues that they forget effective team processes.

TEACHING PROBLEM SOLVING

Employees don’t learn effective problem solving overnight. It is an ongoing training process that begins the first day that an employee brings a problem to his or her supervisor for solution.

At that point, the supervisor solves the problem but reviews with the employee how the supervisor came up with the solution. The next time that an employee brings a problem, the supervisor asks the employee what he or she thinks should be done. The employee is encouraged to think through the problem and come up with a solution on his or her own. If a problem is similar to an earlier one, the employee is asked if the previous solution would work here.

The supervisor does this a few times until the employee learns to bring not only bring a problem but his or her solution as well. Each time, the supervisor commends the employee until the employee begins to solve day-to-day problems without clearing his or her solutions with the supervisor. The employee tells the supervisor after the fact about a decision made. Over time, the employee builds self-confidence in his or her judgment.

This process is used with each employee. Some employees never gain the self-confidence to handle routine situations without first checking with the supervisor, but most people quickly gain the knack. It is important that the emotional climate of the organization support this process. If employees are fearful of the supervisor, this process will not work. The supervisor must always be aware that a different solution—his—may not be a better solution, only different. Through this process of teaching problem solving, the values critical to the organization or to him or her are reinforced. Therefore, actions taken by employees both daily and in crises are the right ones.