Technique: Solving Problems:
Create New Situations

Managers solve problems all the time. But solving a problem may simply eliminate an irritant without creating the actual outcome you want. Rather than focus on eliminating the problem, focus on creating the situation you desire. Most of the time, you’ll be able to see possible courses of action and select from among them. But sometimes, you need to jump-start your thinking. Start with the steps outlined in Figure 21, ​Creating desired outcome​.

Guidelines

Follow the template in this order. Seeing the benefits of a solution from others’ perspectives can help generate novel solutions.

Understanding barriers can help you build a stronger solution and show where you will need influence and support to succeed. Identify your perceived barriers, and check them with a trusted advisor. You may find your perceived barriers are not as large as you believed.

When you look at the barriers, you may decide you can’t change anything, given your position in the organization. Keep working until you find a barrier you can change. For example, if one of your barriers is “unclear corporate priorities,” define your own priorities.

Always generate a minimum of three possible ways to achieve the desired situation.

Your first step doesn’t need to be a big step for implementing the solution. It should, however, start with an action verb. We say this because we’ve seen supposed action plans that didn’t have verbs! How do you take the first step on an action item like “courage”?

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Figure 21. Creating desired outcome