| |
| |
|
WebsiteAlways |
|
Problem-Solving Success Tip: Define the Problem First
Define the Problem First. It seems obvious, but how many times have we gone to a problem-solving meeting and the discussion started with either whose fault was it or an assertion about the proper solution? Explain what the problem is-what went wrong, what are the symptoms, what is the impact on your business and your customer's business. These are the things that someone knows at this point in the problem solving process. If the someone is not you, and you're leading the problem-solving effort, you need to do some research to find out. No guesses or assumptions allowed: the problem description must give the facts clearly and accurately. Write it down. Writing the problem down forces you to describe it carefully, completely and unambiguously. The statement is a valuable tool to help focus your team on the real problem and avoid wasting time on extraneous issues. Everyone who reads it should understand what the problem is and why it's important. No jumping ahead, either: you don't know yet what caused the problem much less what you will do to fix it. The written statement can also be used as a "sales tool" to explain what problem you're solving and why it's important. Use it to make sure you have the support you'll need from management, your customer and any other key players. This is especially important if the significance of the problem is not universally understood or accepted. The problem is defined when everybody who reads your problem statement, including you, understands what will be different when the problem is solved and your team agrees that it describes the correct problem. copyright 2005. Jeanne Sawyer. All Rights Reserved. Jeanne Sawyer is an author, consultant, trainer and coach who helps her clients solve expensive, chronic problems, such as those that cause operational disruptions and cause customers to take their business elsewhere. These tips are excerpted from her book, When Stuff Happens: A Practical Guide to Solving Problems Permanently. Find out about it, and get more free information on problem solving at her web site: http://www.sawyerpartnership.com/.
MORE RESOURCES:
Management - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
ISO 9001 Registration - 8 Steps for Success You've made the plans, built the quality system and conducted the audit. So how do you register your company as ISO 9001 conformant? And how can you be sure you're getting the most value for your investment? Here's how the process works. Interviewing: How to Stay Out of legal Hot Water Some interviewers ask great questions; others ask dumb questions; and, worst of all, some ask questions that can get them into legal hot water.Every recruiter, hiring manager, executive, and department manager must realize that asking the wrong questions or making improper inquiries can lead to discrimination or wrongful-discharge lawsuits. 6 Shared Factors of Successful Executives These factors where determined by interviews with and books from very successful people. Factors which eminently successful people considered essential were collected and classified. Four Employee Behaviors That Can Kill Your Business I found it important to clarify for employees what "deal-breaker" behavior was at my company. These are the things I insisted would not be tolerated and would lead to immediate or ultimate termination, depending on the nature of the infraction of these hard and fast rules. Time Management Tip: Stop Micro-Managing Employees If I was a fly on the wall what would I hear your employees say? Would it something like this? "They won't allow me to make even the simplest decisions." "The red tape here makes it very difficult for me to do my job. Five Steps to Increase the People Power in Your Business Take some bold steps and help your employees and business partners open up to real change and help them start thinking again to the longer term. Send a message that you are ready to commit to new ways of thinking and that that includes a commitment to the success of your employees in the changing workplace. Business Innovation - the Value of Structure Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation whilst innovation can be defined as idea selection, development and commercialisation.There are other useful definitions in this field, for example, creativity can be defined as consisting of a number of ideas, a number of diverse ideas and a number of novel ideas. Popular Business Misconceptions Cost You Money! Faulty information costs you money! Which of these popular business misconceptions do you believe?Popular Misconception #1: "We Only Need Our Books Done Once A Year For Tax Purposes." Are Your Accounting Records Adequate To Run Your Business?Although it is important to keep records for tax purposes, it is not the only reason (or even the primary reason) good accounting records should be kept. Why We Judge Judgment is the process of forming an opinion of something by making a comparison. While judgment can play an important role in decisions we must make to live productively, sometimes the thoughts we hold are what prevent us from having what we most desire. The Truth? The pure and simple truth is rarely pure and never simple. Oscar Wilde The truth. Why Free Agent Thinking Is Good For Your Company It's no secret! Day after day the news is riddled with companies who are moving operations to other countries or completely closing their doors. Those who remain must transform themselves to lean, mean, businesses with a constant eye on reducing costs. Developing Your Management Style One thing a lot of us don't do in sales is take time out to analyse things.How are we doing it? Why are we doing it? Can we do it better?Taking time out to assess your management style is one of the most fundemental tasks a person can do. Align The Enterprise & Make Beautiful Music Together Q: Why is a great business like a great marching band?A: The players in both organizations are in alignment.Alignment? Yes, Alignment. Employee Turnover: Seven Reasons Why People Quit Their Jobs There are many reasons why good employees quit and go to another company, perhaps even your competitor. Most of the reasons start with management and most are preventable. Presenteeism: The Hidden Costs of Business (prez.un. Organizational Structure, Creativity, Innovation Organizational structure can inhibit or foster creativity and innovation. The problem with organizational structure though, is that it is resultant of many factors, including history, organic growth, strategy, operational design, product diversity, logistics, marketing, client base, supplier base and so forth. Managing Creativity - An Oxymoron! Not Interrogated on a beach in Barbados by friends insistent that there was little validity to my speciality, I have felt compelled to answer the most common objections in the field of Managing Creativity and Innovation.a) Managing Creativity and Innovation is an oxymoron!When ideas are required, leaders tend to herd people into a room with a flip chart and conduct (usually an ineffective) brainstorming session. People Are Our Most Important Asset! How many times have you heard or uttered this phrase in the last 5 years or so. As a "reformed accountant" this phrase makes me cringe more than any other business euphemism being espoused today. Character: Is It Necessary In Leadership? (Part Two) In the first part of this two part article, I talked about the importance of character in leadership. After all, the best leadership involves the people bonding with the leader in deep, human, emotional ways. HRM: Contributing to Well-being or Ill-being at Work? If you were to take the people out of an organisation you would be left with some stock and machinery that would be of little value, and possibly some property. It is the people that make an organisation function, so having the people functioning to the best of their ability must surely be best for an organisation.
|
| Interesting articles | Home | site map | Link |
| © 2006 |
