Management Tips - Getting to the Root of the Problem
September 3, 2008 · Print This Article
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By Ed Oakley
For most managers, a portion of just about every day is spent dealing with problems that arise in the course of running a business. These problems could be anything from staffing issues to declining production. Perhaps you're seeing a drop from the usual high quality standards in production which is leading to less satisfied customers. Whatever the problem, a manager has the responsibility to understand the issue, take steps to ensure that the issue is resolved, and follow through to make sure the desired results are achieved.
Many managers struggle, however, with treating symptoms as they emerge instead of getting to the root of the problem. One of the most important management tips that we can provide is to take the time to find out what's really causing the problems you're seeking to resolve.
There are two types of problems that can arise in a business. The first category we call "hard issues," a group that would include declining sales, poor customer service, a drop in overall efficiency, and many other symptoms of deeper problems. The second category we call "soft issues," a group that includes poor employee attitudes and negativity in the mindsets of employees. These issues are generally harder to define, but in many cases, they are the very issues that are causing the "hard issues" to be a problem.
As a manager, getting to the bottom of the soft issues is a key to eliminating problems permanently instead of temporarily.
Lee Iacocca, the former chairman of Chrysler, once said, "Quality, after all, is affected by something as simple as a person's set of values…If a person's going to do a good job, he's got to like coming to work. He's got to say to himself, 'I'm going to do something great today,' and he's got to say that everyday." Iacocca understood the importance of a soft issue as simple as making sure your employees are motivated to excel at their jobs rather than just fulfill their duties and collect a paycheck.
A manager has a great deal of influence on the attitudes of those he or she is responsible to manage, and a great deal of hard issues can be avoided if this soft issue is influenced and managed properly.
There are countless stories of employees becoming more productive simply because they are assigned a new manager. One company that makes cardboard boxes in the Pacific Northwest reported a 25% increase in productivity after a manager was replaced. The process of making the cardboard boxes didn't change, nor did the tools at the disposal of the employees. The change was a change of mindset, led by a manager who took pride in ensuring that the team members were happy and took pride in their work.
There is no magic potion to help a manager get to the root of problems. The key ingredient is one that any manager can have, and that's a desire to manage the soft issues and trust that the hard issues will largely take care of themselves.
For more useful management tips please take some time and visit our site at http://www.leadershipmadesimple.com/
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