|
|
| www.1001TopWords.com |
|
|
Problem-Solving Success Tip: Look For Sponsors And Solution Owners
Look for sponsors and solution owners rather than problem owners. Everyone participating in the situation owns the problem, like it or not-and nobody likes it. However, if one person is designated as the problem owner, that gives everyone else involved implicit permission to step away and essentially pretend that they don't have an ownership role in the problem. In other words, appointing a problem owner gets in the way of solving a problem. A much better term for what is usually expected of the "problem owner" is "sponsor." A sponsor is the person who champions the problem-solving project by assuring awareness of the importance of the project, allocating resources, removing obstacles, etc. The words are important. Having a sponsor gets support for the problem-solving project without removing (or appearing to remove) responsibility for solving it. Another difficulty with the term "problem owner" is that it has a blame connotation. A typical corollary to discussing who owns the problem is discussing whose fault it is. This is totally counterproductive to solving the problem. People get angry, and these discussions often deteriorate into finger-pointing rather than focusing on the root causes of the problem and what can be done to address them. "Solution owners" are people who are in a position to do something constructive about eliminating root causes of the problem. Helping with a solution is much more fun than being blamed for a problem, so you're more likely to get the response you need. The terms you use are important. Avoid the not-my-problem trap by getting sponsors. Avoid the finger-pointing trap by finding solution owners. Copyright 2005. Jeanne Sawyer. All Rights Reserved. Jeanne Sawyer is an author, consultant, trainer and coach who helps her clients solve expensive, chronic problems, such as those that cause operational disruptions and cause customers to take their business elsewhere. These tips are excerpted from her book, When Stuff Happens: A Practical Guide to Solving Problems Permanently. Find out about it, and get more free information on problem-solving at her web site: http://www.sawyerpartnership.com/.
|
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
How To Conduct Effective Meetings Before you call your next meeting, the FIRST step is to decide if it is really essential. To determine that, ask yourself the following: How to Make a Difference Every Day Every day, everyone can make the world a better place. It's simple; it's quick and it is free. All it requires is a recipe containing you (yes, that's YOU!), awareness and a natural disposition to be brave enough to change the day of everyone you come into contact with in a positive way.Appreciating what people do for you, whenever you come into contact with them is the first step. It may not sound much, but saying a sincere 'Thank You' means much to many people - it is not what they experience normally. This can be a 'Thank You' to someone who holds a door open for you to the guy you buy your morning paper from. It can be to an employee who you manage, for something, for goodness sakes, for anything they did well - in the moment, sincerely.The next step, when it is comfortable for you, is to explain what it was they did that was great. So, as an example, it could be to an employee who you manage,'Thank you for that piece of work, your effort has made such a difference to it'.It could be a 'Well done' as you stand in front of a display of merchandise'What I especially like about it, is how you made such a great impact with the cornflakes'Outside your place of work, you buy a sandwich,'Thank you - can I just say what a great job you did putting that together for me; I truly appreciate it'.Sharing positive observations that people might not see in themselves, because there is not enough positive feedback in the world creates positivity.You can make a difference to literally dozens of people every day and makes their lives brighter. And how do you think they will respond to the next customer; and the next. Research shows that they will be buzzing for the next 5 interactions with others. Maybe they will 'Pay it Forward' as in the film. (Not seen it - do so!). This is about small things that you can do every day. And if you can't do it consistently? Just do it sometimes and that is much, much better than never at all.You may never know the positive difference you have made to someone you spend a little time, a little courtesy with - but you will have to live with that delicious 'not knowing'!Tip? Set yourself a target of doing this five times a day - and if you do, give yourself a pat on the back! This works in business and the real (:-)) world too! Feedback - Make it Descriptive Have you ever heard yourself say to a team member - "You'rereally great" - "You're a star" - I think you're brilliant"- "You're doing a great job!" Project Heroes Project heroes. We've all heard of them. Some of us have even seen them. A project is in jeopardy. This guy (or gal) comes out of nowhere, analyzes the situation, tells you exactly what the problem is, and then goes on to fix it before you can even update your project plan! Are you NICE or do you CARE? Are you NICE or do you CARE?Most people and most managers want to be nice. After all, it's easier to be nice than to not be nice. But when we talk about being a manager, there is a difference between being nice and being NICE. A NICE manager can be pleasant to be around. They're friendly and helpful and avoid even the most remote semblance to confrontation. How do you spot a NICE Manager? When someone brings them a problem, a NICE manager provides them with a solution. When a report is late because the employee in question and their spouse went to a movie instead of completing the assignment, a NICE manager understands. After all, it's important to balance work and home. When the presentation lacks clarity, or the conclusions aren't supported by the facts, a NICE manager thanks them for their efforts and doesn't dig any deeper. And when the production numbers for the month are down for the 3rd consecutive month, a NICE manager clearly understands the reasons that are causing the problems and knows that they are not the fault of the employees. A NICE manager avoids the controversy and confrontation that goes along with employees who are not quite performing up to par. A NICE manager defends their employees regardless of the situation, because there are always extenuating circumstances. And that's the problem with a NICE manager. They always understand and always relieve the employee of the responsibility. What does it mean to be a NICE manager? N - Nothing I - Inside C - Cares E - Enough Nothing inside cares enough to hold the employee accountable for their own actions. Nothing inside cares enough to tell the employee when they are falling behind or failing. Nothing inside cares enough to be willing to upset the employee even if it is for their own good. Nothing inside cares enough to help the employee achieve everything that they are capable of achieving. Frankly, being a NICE manager doesn't really help the employee, because it leaves them without any accountability, and it does no good for the manager either, as they now have more work to do. Being a NICE manager is a "lose - lose" scenario. As a Manager, it is your responsibility to the company and to your employees to see that peak performance is achieved. You also have a responsibility to your employees to maximize their talents and growth, to see that they are ready for the promotions that may come their way, and to ensure that they learn the skills to achieve and succeed at higher and higher levels. You owe it to your employees to give them honest feedback on their performance so that they can develop their own skills and prepare for their future. And you can do it all in a positive, reinforcing manner. That's the difference between being a nice Manager versus a NICE Manager. Instead of being NICE, I suggest that you CARE. A Manager who CAREs will coach an employee on a problem, not assume the work for him. A Manager who CAREs will communicate with an employee when their work does not meet expectations and coach them until it does. A Manager who CAREs will identify the talents in their people and help cultivate those talents to even greater levels and coach them in areas where they can still develop. What does it mean to CARE? C - Coaching A - Allows R - Real E - Excellence So you have two clear choices. You can be NICE to your employees, or you can CARE. Which will you choose? Problem-Solving Success Tip: Test Your Assumptions About Everything Test your assumptions about everything. What Every Manager Should Know About How to Maximize the Two People Inside Every one of us, in reality, has two people inside: The person we are today and the person we can become tomorrow and in the future. Is Your Employee Newsletter Management Propaganda? It should not be. If it is an effective newsletter, it will serve the needs of readers (employees) as much as it serves the needs of the publisher (management). Faith is the LIFE-blood of Your ACTIONS before the Benefit - Nothing has changed. Your ancestors lived by faith. Some planted crops and waited for the harvest. Others worked for the "boss" and by faith expected pay for their labor. Turbo Charge Your Career With The Most Powerful Leadership Tool Of All: The Leadership Talk Part 3 To develop and deliver a great Leadership Talk, you must understand that every Talk has three important parts. (1) Audience Needs. (2) Strong Belief. (3) Action. Creativity Management and Behaviour What behaviour maximises the chances of thinking of great ideas? What behaviour maximises the ability to nurture ideas until they begin to reveal their potential? 14 Ways to De-Stress Employee Vacations Employees truly deserve paid vacations. They Technology & Communication A study a couple of years ago found that 63% of executives were making fewer business trips because of technology. How to Deal With Salespeople If you are an executive, you may sometimes feel like a open jelly sandwich at a picnic. Every crazy critter in the world wants to bite into your budget. Here's how to protect your time and preserve your sanity. The Comfort Zone The Comfort Zone I have a friend named Gene, a serial entrepreneur who currently runs a software business. Like many people, last year was a tough one for his company. They survived largely by providing add-on services to existing customers - a decent response to difficult circumstances. They even grew revenues a bit. But here's something else that happened: They got comfortable. They decided they could exist on their base of customers, and then they "realized" there would be no new ones. Great Groups! - Getting a Group to Think Like a Genius Great Groups! - Getting a Group to Think Like a Genius 50 Great Ways to Motivate and Not Break the Bank Quick, Easy, and Even Fun! The Seven Cs: Partnership Danger Signs - The 4th C: Cumulative Money Problems A series of articles exploring the seven critical areas that can indicate a partnership is in trouble. Service Level Agreement (SLA) Boot Camp Service Level Agreements, or "SLA's" are tricky but useful mechanisms for managing the risk of an on-going relationship with IT service providers. Unfortunately, most SLA's that show up in service contracts as worthless, cosmetic paper additions. SLA's can be extremely powerful tools to help you and your service provider get the most out of a relationship. The Dog That Didnt Bark A few weeks ago, after consultations with others in an association I represent, I made a partnership pitch to another organization with similar interests. If the idea comes to fruition, it will radically change our organization.
|
| © Athifea Distribution LLC - 2013 |
