Jasmeet Kohli

Wednesday 29 August 2018


       How to develop a Problem Solving  Culture !!!


It is often seen that many organizations constantly face problems. After one problem is solved, another problem is already there knocking on the door making its presence visible in one form or the other. In such organizations, problems are solved without trying to ascertain the reason behind the problem. 

"Firefighting", as it is commonly known, is a type of negative culture affecting many business organizations which focuses on finding immediate solutions to the problems. Such organizations move from crisis to crisis. A Fireman emerges who douses the fire earning the appreciation of the Top Management. Almost no effort is made to evaluate why the crisis occurred in the first place. Eventually, this becomes the norm rather than exception in the organization and Firemen are given preference over all other people.

The solution to this is to develop a "Problem Solving Culture" in the organization where problems and issues are solved through a structured process by a cross-functional team, who have people with the required skills & training to develop & implement solutions for the problems at hand. Such kind of negative culture can be corrected by making serious efforts & taking some concrete steps: 
•Start solving a problem only when its root cause has been identified
•Discourage Quick Fix solutions. Quick fix solutions should be implemented only after careful evaluation

•Avoid solving individual problems unless it assumes critical proportions
•Train the problem solvers to go for the root cause and not just the visible symptoms
•Encourage developing a mindset of “Preventing Problems” among staff rather than “Solving Problems”
•Discourage rewarding Firefighting persons
•Encourage rewarding persons who practice prevention and systematic problem solving
•Apply solutions only after evaluating their impact
•Prioritize your problems
•Set realistic timelines to avoid last minute hassles
•Develop a structured and systematic way of problem solving
               

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