How to solve a major problem
Managers are faced with a never-ending flow of problems - deviations from the norm. During the course of a week, hundreds of spontaneous, minor problems are usually tackled with the minimum of fuss, using years of accumulated knowledge and experience. At times, however, a major problem will arise. On such occasions, the wise manager uses a classic problem-solving strategy, one of which is outlined here. When you have a serious problem to grapple with, try following these nine steps...
1. Identify the symptoms.
When you sense that trouble is brewing in your organisation, it's usually the symptoms of a problem that surface first - bickering among employees, equipment breakdowns, changes in behaviour patterns, uneven performance, poor attendance at staff meetings, missing petty cash, litter… These symptoms can indicate a major problem lurking below the surface.
2. Define the problem.
You're aware of the symptoms - now try to define the problem. Be warned, however: it's not always easy to pinpoint.
For example, when two employees are continually bickering and cannot get along together, a supervisor might believe that he or she is confronted with a problem of conflicting personalities. After checking, the supervisor finds that the real problem is that he or she has never clearly outlined the functions and duties of each employee - where their duties begin and end. What appeared on the surface to be a problem of personality conflict was actually a problem of an organisational nature. Only after the true nature of the problem has been recognised can the supervisor do something about it.
Try to state the problem in a single sentence; this will help you to identify the actual nature of the problem. Indeed, it could be that you are trying to deal with more than one problem. Remember, don't confuse the symptoms, the causes, and the problem.
3. Specify your objectives.
Be clear about what you are setting out to achieve in tackling the problem. Compare the existing situation with the desired state: where you are now and where you would like to be. Then state the transformation necessary to move from one state to the other.
