Why you’re always beaten by business problems
PROBLEM is a chance for you to do your best,” said American composer, pianist, and jazz orchestra leader Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington
of his death was reportedly to
performances worldwide.
But how many of us will react positively to a problem, even if we call it an opportunity? Indeed, it’s a complex issue. Therefore, a rational approach is to analyze what makes it challenging for people and organizations to solve their problems at work. In other words, what are the problems in problem-solving?
Unless you know that approach, it would be troublesome for you to overcome even half of the problem. First and foremost, start calculating the amount of losses. What are the disadvantages, and its potential losses in peso or dollar if the issue is not corrected? The bigger the losses, the bigger your motivation to put up countermeasures.
If the cost is indirect or un-
the issue drive out customers, if not create conflict between employees and their management? Even a simple situation that forces customers to wait while on queue is enough for us to understand there’s a problem somewhere, somehow. If you understand the adverse effects of a business problem, that alone should prompt you to move, unless you’re a devil-may-care person.
But that’s unthinkable. All of us are rational beings who care about our respective business (as an owner) or job security (as an employee). Regardless of where you’re seated, a simple logic can help us understand the problem, if not change our paradigm on problem-solving. I have many ideas on how to solve business problems, but I can list down here three easy, practical and effective techniques: question, you’ll surely get the wrong answer. Take the case of Takeru Kobayashi, a Japanese competitive eater of hotdogs, meatballs, pizza, etc. with many world records, including at least eight Guinness record. What is Kobayashi’s famous secret?
As told by Freakonomics duo Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner, Kobayashi, rather than tackling the obvious question (How do I eat more hot dogs?), the Japanese wonder man answered another question – “how do I make hot dogs easier to eat?” Copying Kobayashi, then how do we formulate the right question so we can get the right answer?
Many people don’t have the time, intellectual capacity or even the inclination to think very hard about their problems. Most of the time, we pay attention to what other people say and if they are in harmony with our thinking, we agree easily with them. Also, we focus on the particular issue that annoys our comfort zones. If not, then we simply let go of it until it becomes a bigger issue
So, when we talk about the country’s poor economic development, should we be talking against nothing-good politicians or the misinformed electorate who keeps on voting them?
Beware of small expenses. Remember the famous adage: “Small leaks can sink a great ship.” The small leaks can be found in many places, including lighted and air-conditioned rooms that are not being used, unutilized talent of people, dif-
a whiteboard with a broken wheel inside a training room