The Challenge of Problem-Solving: A Manager’s Guide to Getting Stuff Done

Why is it so hard to solve problems nowadays?
There's more than one answer to this question, but from working with others and understanding how many people function, we find that it tends to come from a lack of focus; lack of ability to focus on a singular task ... a lack of concentration.

Aren’t distractions everywhere nowadays? Whether it’s checking our phones, attending to emails, video content ... or even traffic or police sirens from outside. And they all play their part in distracting you from solving the problem that you originally wanted to fix.

A Core Problem-Solving Framework

Breaking Down To the Root

The first form of problem solving is what we call "breaking it down" and we're not talking Earth Wind & Fire here. It starts by separating each part into small, simple chunks so it’s easier to handle.

Chrispien at Blue Sky Advertisement says: “When handling issues with our contractor Digital Marketing clients, if we do not break down the issues on hand, everything can get pretty chaotic fast. We religiously get our team members to simplify problems to get the fastest solution for the client’s account.”

Let's use a drawing for example; imagine you're drawing a picture and you're struggling to draw a face.
When drawing a face for the first time, you don't jump straight into drawing the details and the shadows, you start with drawing out the general shape of the head, and making sure that both eyes are the same shape etc.
Why would you treat a business problem any differently?

Let's move this to a business perspective; your team has fallen behind on an important branding project, or your team is behind in an excavation job.
If your team isn’t hitting its targets, are you going to instinctively blame them? Did you know that the excavator's chain link was broken?
You need to break down the situation to figure out what is actually going wrong.

Problem-Solving Techniques

Visually Planning The Solution - You take the main goal and break it down into small sub-circles so you don’t get overwhelmed. In most cases, visual mapping is used as a way of brainstorming.

Giving Yourself Time to Think - Taking maybe just two minutes to sit and talk to yourself about a problem often works wonders. When trying to get to the core issue of a problem, you have to break everything down into parts or small steps. If you try to tackle everything all at once, it becomes overwhelming and you'll feel like you don't get anything done.

Brainstorming Steps You Can Take

• Break down the problem
• Write it on paper and the steps that need done to solve the issue
• Start with the easier steps to give you a boost in productivity
• Use outside perspectives to be able to tackle the issues on hand

Working Backward Method - As the title states, taking the general problem and starting at the end and going backward. This method helps you visualize the end goal first, then work your way back to the starting point, making the path a whole lot clearer.

A Manager's Decision Guide

Spotting Real Problems not Symptoms

You may have a lot on your plate and not know how to identify a lot of your problems.  Simplification is the best way to go forward: to clean out that brain of yours so you can think straight.
You may have fifty things to do everyday and it's hard to get to grips with the core issue.  Yet many of the problems you face will be the product of the core problem: call them the symptoms.  And by solving the core problem, you'll fix the symptoms, too.

Quick Ways to Tell if It's Worth Your Time

There are quite a few ways to tell if solving the issue will actually be worth your time. If you can answer these questions easily, most likely they are a waste of time:

• Can you delegate the work or task? Then it shouldn't take any of your mental energy.
• Does solving the problem free up your time to focus on more important things? If not, then leave it alone!
• Are you focusing on a small problem when there are more important jobs to do? Then, it is really not a problem that needs to be dealt with at this moment.

The "Will this matter in 3 months?" Test

Have you ever spent a few days making work plans for yourself or your team and after a month or so, they're out of date?
In many industries, what may seem important now, won't be important later. It's a hard thing to pin-point, but as a manager you only have 24 hours a day like everyone else.
Here are some pointers on how to decide whether something is worth your time:

• Will it improve performance later down the line?
• Will it help an employee understand how to do their job?
• Will the job or task be a permanent part of your business?

If any of these answer yes, it's likely to be worth spending your time on fixing it.

Implementation & Action Steps

Getting to the Truth

Having honest conversations with your team may be something you may not like to do, but there will be times when you have to do it.  Talking with them is a great way to find common ground.  And keep an open mind: many problems are the result of mis-communication and an open discussion is the best way to fix it.

Looking at the Numbers

There are many times when you need to understand that it's either spend money to save your time, or spend your time to save money!
We can then set a max cap on what an hour of our time is worth, and make our decision on whether to delegate.

Simple Questions That Reveal Real Problems

Always ask yourself these things:

• Is this really worth thinking about?
• Will not fixing this be a detriment to my business?
• Can you get help on completing the task or fixing the problem?
• Is this problem in your top priorities to fix?

Practical Solutions

Quick Fixes vs. Long-Term Solutions

Bandaging a problem is never the way to go. If you just fix it right now and it's not a permanent fix, when you are in the middle of working on other jobs in the future, you'll end up having to go back and fix it.
So always try to think about how to permanently solve problems.  By doing this, the problems go away.  And if you don't: well, you'll waste more time half-ass fixing the problem than if you'd done it properly in the first place.

When to Spend Money and When to Reorganize

Of course, fixing a problem takes time and money, but sometimes, it's better to stand back and reorganize.  Was it a problem with the process, or the structure, and would it be better to make changes so things work better in the future?

Breaking Down Decisions

The reason many people find it difficult to make decisions is often because they aren't sure exactly what went wrong! Deciding what to do is made easier by breaking down and analyzing what caused the problem in the first place.

Quick Decision Practice

A good way to improve is by practicing quick decision making. This can be developed even outside of the business environment, from choosing music, to choosing what to order at a restaurant. Learning to be a bit more decisive on your first thought can be very positive when used correctly.

Accepting "Good Enough"

Another important step is to start accepting that things can be good enough. In other words, not everything needs to be perfect or up to the highest standards. Does the solution work?  Yes may be all you need...

Our Final Note

Problem solving requires a combination of quick thinking and analysis.
And if you use the strategies we’ve outlined, from breaking down complex issues to preventing future problems, you'll be ready to handle the challenges you face in the future.

And always remember:

• Take moments of silence to think clearly
• Break down problems into manageable pieces
• Trust your team – and give them the tools they need
• Focus on long-term solutions, not quick fixes
• Develop systems that prevent future issues

Above all, never forget to take a step back when you need to, because clear thinking, away from the minutiae if the situation in hand, will always lead you to make better decisions.