Solving a Problem that Doesn't Exist

For any former students of mine - you will likely remember Frank and Hank.

Frank - is, of course, me.

Hank, on the other hand, is a handful.

Hank represents "the client" or "the guy that doesn't care about your fancy technology skills". Hank runs an organization and Hank wants problems solved.

A challenge though, with those helping Hank and in the real world - is that we often try to solve problems that don't exist. There is a sense that unless we are embarking on a "initiative" or a "project" - then we aren't really adding value to an organization or growing.

To illustrate this to my students, I often tell them the story of "Young Hank" (it was me) and his job at "The Mountain River Resort" (it was the Banff Springs Hotel). In this less-than-fictional story: "Hank" decided to create a spreadsheet to help keep track of some details or another (it was a long time ago). Hank worked on this spreadsheet for two entire days, pulling the data, setting up calculations, formatting it to look good. (it was Lotus 1-2-3 to give you a timescale).

Hank brought his completed spreadsheet to his boss. He didn't get the reaction he was hoping for. His boss asked him:

"Who asked you for this spreadsheet?" - nobody.

"How long did it take you to create it?" - 2 days

"What problem does it solve?" - um...

A "solution" is only a solution if you do the groundwork first.

Fortunately, my boss (Hanks boss!) was an excellent people-developer. Hank was guided onwards to better skills and even leadership positions of his own.

The lesson of this event was not lost on him. It developed a stronger understanding that if you can't identify problems from the perspective of those that need them solved - then maybe they aren't problems at all - and maybe you are wasting time and resources.

This means that the first step in any initiative or project is to identify the current state of the environment and see if a problem actually exists. If you have happy customers and they are buying your products and services - then you don't have a problem.

If, those same customers are looking for additional services or product offers - then you still don't have a problem - you have an opportunity.

The biggest risk to an organization is when you miscategorized the two and in the process of trying to take advantage of an opportunity, your "problem solving" measures diminish the initial product - possibly to the point of being irreparable.

Problem Solving vs. Opportunity Seeking

If you are running a profitable business that serves customers well - you do not have a problem. In this case, (I'm using the term profitable in a more global sense - if you are running a non-profit organization, then the same applies - if you are sustainable and doing good you also do not have a problem).

If you want to do better, offer more, or expand your business - then what you have is an opportunity.

This mental positioning of what you are doing is a critical aspect to ensuring success - because both problem-solving and opportunity-seeking will results in some type of change. However, the scope and methods of achieving that change are vastly different.

Radical Change vs. Evolutionary Change

Problems require a more aggressive change management methodology. If you have identified a true problem, then it may very well also be a threat to the organization. Not solving it could result in the loss of customers and/or cause harm that threatens the ability of the organization to continue. In this case, you may seek more radical actions to make changes. The risk of not addressing problems is potential organizational failure.

Seeking to take advantage of opportunities may require less radical changes (putting aside the concepts related to rapid adaptation/growth for a moment). Many opportunities allow for a more evolutionary change approach. Where small improvements are identified, tested, and then adopted. The risk here is that in seeking an opportunity, you may damage the existing processes that are benefiting you. This is "solving a problem that doesn't exist". If your customers do not want the change - then it may very well be an opportunity for YOU, but is is an opportunity for THEM?

The last thing we want to do is create an opportunity for our competitors to take our customers due to our inaction or our poorly thought-out actions.

How do we decide?

Observation:

In my opinion, the only way to identify problems versus opportunities is through a three-part plan: Observe, Document, Plan.

We have to first observe what we have. What is working well? Why is it working well? In this learning phase, we spend the time and energy to gain a strong perspective of our organization (or portion of it) and deeply understand "what we already have".

This is possibly one of the hardest parts of the process. For many, this seems like inaction. Not doing anything. Maintaining Status Quo.

It's not.

This observation phase ensures that we do not identify something as a problem when it isn't. Even in the most poorly mis-managed organizations - some things are being done right. Maybe not perfectly, maybe not optimized - but we can worry about that once we understand through observation.

Document

I'm not sure if document is exactly the correct word. It's more than just capturing - it's also including.

The point is that we need to build a common understanding amongst all stakeholders and write it down so that we clearly communicate. If we have some stakeholders that see a problem, some that see an opportunity, and some that see neither - it's going to be very difficult to do anything of value.

This is also very important when we have different groups involved. If customers don't see a problem, but we do - then what exactly is the problem? It may be that internally we cannot afford the cost of production, find resources to deliver our product, or scale the services we provide - but if our existing customers don't care, then we need to proceed with caution.

Solving any one of these issues without considering the effects on our existing services may end-up to not be a solution that fixes the system, but a solution that shifts the problem elsewhere (Systems Thinking comes to mind). The classic example is when we reduce the cost of production by reducing the quality and lose our customers. Have we "solved" a problem by going out of business?

Having a clear map (documentation) and communication from all stakeholders is the goal of this step.

Plan

It is only at this stage where we can start taking action - and only if we've identified that it's even required.

This post is already becoming quite long - my thoughts on planning and executing a change initiative for problem-solving versus opportunity-seeking will have to wait. Hopefully, the idea that the way to we do them differently from each other is conceptually understood.

Using this in the Classroom (and elsewhere)

In the Program I teach, one of the most critical courses is the Business Analysis course where we seek to align data to specific business needs. Even if we use fictious organizations, we still align our efforts to the goals that the organization is seeking to achieve: Problem solving or Opportunity seeking.

Students will first work together to find (or create a ficticous one) an organization that might be served by using data to make decisions. Then, they identify (or create) the strategic objectives of that organization (solve problems, seek opportunities).

After this, the students will map out the processes of the organization, select those that they can initially provide data insights into, and then finally (once they learn how to) build a data-driven solution for the organization that matches the objectives they have set. (solve problem/achieve opportunity).

Don't solve problems that don't exist.

Taking time to understand before we act was a foundational lesson for "Hank".

I've always been grateful for being guided towards this understanding (I mean HANK was!). The method of: Listen, Learn, Lead was instilled into my back in those days - and I hope I both demonstrate and teach this to others today.

Not spending time, wasting resoruces, and causing problems by solving non-existant ones is a great lesson I've learned.