Every day, leaders and managers have to deal with problems. Big problems and little problems. Strategic problems and operational problems. People problems and system problems. When you have solved one problem, another two to three will show up. It is an endless process and a common topic during executive coaching sessions.
First, I always point out to those involved that if your company does not have any problems, then there are major issues within the company. If problems are not being shared, discussed, explored and solved, there is a high probability that the organization has started down the roadway to institutional decline.
What the best leaders and managers know is that growing and ever-evolving companies generate problems because they understand that the needs of the customer are constantly changing. Therefore, so should the company’s systems in order to create the right kind of product and/or customer experience to meet these new and evolving needs. In short, having problems is better than not having problems.
Second, when discussing the subject of problems, I always point out that it is importance to diagnose them before solving them. There are typically three kinds of problems, namely technical, adaptive, and a crisis. Most leaders and managers know what to do in a crisis situation but when it comes to the other two versions they struggle.
Technical problems are clearly defined and the solutions falls within the problem solving expertise of the company. In simple terms, all a leader needs to do is match a known solution with the right person in order to fix the problem. Then, the assigned individual needs to apply their expertise, resources and follow a known process to solve it. The key is choosing the right person so that the outcome will be a restoration of order and the maintenance of operational norms. The best leaders in this situation focus on picking the right person, not just the solution.
Adaptive problems, on the other hand, require a new perspective, expertise or solution. One of the hardest first steps to dealing with an adaptive problem is that defining the problem often requires learning and calls into question fundamental company beliefs, assumptions and the viability of certain systems. For people in leadership positions, an adaptive problem will require thinking in new ways and being able to frame up the problem through asking better questions rather than answers. It may require people to redefine their roles, deal with conflicts that have been unresolved and to challenge operational norms. Order may not be restored when the problem is solved as much as redefined.
For those of you who want to get better at diagnosing problems, I encourage you to read the following book: Heifetz, Ronald, Alexander Grashow, and Marty Linsky. The Practice of Adaptive Leadership: Tools and Tactics for Changing Your Organization and the World, Harvard Business Press, 2009.
Third, the best leaders and managers I have observed and worked with do one more thing when it comes to solving problems. They ask a challenging and important question: “What is the health of the relationships around this problem?” Often, what appears to be a technical or adaptive problem may actually be a relationship problem. When teams become dysfunctional and people behave out of alignment with the company’s core values or operating principles, then problems arise and often end up in the leader or manager’s office.
However, the problem that is presented may actually be a symptom of a people issue rather than an operational process or system issue. So, as part of the diagnostic process, the best leaders and managers put the people element into the problem solving equation. They figure out if there is an individual who is struggling due to a lack of role clarity, poor inter-personal relationships, or a dysfunctional team that may actually be the root problem that is resulting in an operational problem.
This fall, remember that having problems and dealing with problems is a normal part of the job in the world of leadership and management. Then, diagnose what kind of problem you are dealing with, be it technical, adaptive or a crisis. But always be certain to explore the health of the relationships of those involved in the problem. This often is the key to discovering the right solution.
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