Avoiding The Activity Trap: Effective Problem Solving

How many new performance appraisal forms have been developed because an executive really just doesn't want to evaluate his staff?  How many one-shot training programs have been given because a supervisor keeps messing up?  And how many recruitment ads have been repeatedly run simply to satisfy an impatient manager?

Great HR professionals solve problems.  They size up situations, identify solutions and then take action.  But sometimes we need to slow the process down.  We need to first understand what the REAL problem is before we do anything.  There are times when taking no action is the best route.  We aren't paid for activity.

A U.S. distributor of a German manufacturer of high end machinery turned over 60% of their sales force in an 18 month period.  Something was terribly wrong.  This was costing the company a bundle.  Their German parent company wanted a quick solution.  In fact, they provided answers for them: 1) hire an HR manager (not a bad idea); create a new performance appraisal form (you can always use this); and pay the sales staff more money (those remaining in sales will never complain about this).  While these solutions will create a lot of activity and in and of themselves are very good ideas, none of them will address the turnover issue because no one has identified the causes of the turnover.  Why are people leaving?  What's the real problem?

A 200 bed nursing home wants to implement an employee satisfaction survey.  They aren't sure how these surveys work, but another Home just completed one and they are happy with their results.  But what's the problem?  What is the nursing home trying to fix?  A survey is a tool-a great tool in fact.  But while every carpenter may need a hammer, not every job requires a hammer.

The key for the HR manager is to be able to step back and objectively evaluate the situation at hand.  Then she can begin to define the problem.  But first, she needs to understand the situation.  Remember, most problems are actually made worse by taking action prematurely.

Why was the U.S. distributor turning over its sales staff?  Did the nursing home have a problem or was conducting a survey just a neat thing to do?  In both cases, no one ever stopped to define the problem.  In each situation, we had a classic case of "ready, fire, aim" and then we wonder why the real problems never get solved.  So what should be done?

A simple 3 step process to identify the problem and then to solve it will help:

1. Identify your objectives: What needs to be done?
2. Establish some metrics: How will you know if you've done it?
3.  Determine its value: Is it worth doing and how will your situation be improved by doing it?
   
   

Proper problem definition will allow you to focus on the real problem.  It will allow you to sort through what the manager may "want" and advise him as to what he really "needs."  From there you can determine what's causing the deviation from what is happening now compared to your desired state.  Identifying the cause will allow you to correct it and prevent it from occurring again in the future.

Understanding the objectives, metrics and value requires asking the right questions.  Objectives are the outcomes that are needed.  They represent your desired state.  Objectives are never training manuals or forms or reports.  These are methodologies.  Objectives are improved conditions such as reduced turnover, improved customer service, or increased production.  To understand the objectives, ask these questions:

• Ø What are you trying to accomplish?
• Ø What's going on and how is it impacting you?
• Ø What is your ideal outcome?

Push to understand the end results so that it is clear how you can provide value.  Help the manager to articulate what she needs to accomplish.  Without this, you have not defined the problem and therefore no action should be taken.

Metrics are a means of determining whether you are meeting the objectives.  Ask the following:

• Ø How will you know when you accomplished your objectives?
• Ø What will be different and what will it look like?
• Ø How do you want to measure your progress?

Metrics are both objective (turnover will be reduced by 20%) and subjective (I no longer have to mediate all the complaints).  What is important is that you establish criteria up front and use it to keep you on track.  As an example, if you're training sales staff on effective sales techniques, increased sales is probably a better measurement than the number of sales people who attend the program.

Finally, what's the value to the manager and/or the organization from undertaking this initiative?  Ask the following:

• Ø How will these results impact the organization?
• Ø How will the organization be better off by doing this?
• Ø If nothing were done, what would this mean for the organization?

Remember, unless the manager or the organization benefits from an initiative, there is probably no point in doing it.  The value to the organization, and frankly your value as a HR professional, is directly proportional to the tangible results you hope to achieve.

Proper problem identification takes time.  But taking action without fully understanding what needs to be done takes more.  The choice is clear.