Ditch the Generalizations for Better, Faster Problem-Solving
It’s funny.
As I look back over the last few months, I see a pattern.
Many of these newsletters have been about solving problems: how to solve them smarter, how to solve them faster.
How to solve them better.
Here’s why: solving problems IS the work of running a successful business.
There isn’t a day when you arrive to a company that operates in a problem-free zone. As long as you continue to grow, continue to employ people, and continue to deal with customers…
…you’ll have problems.
To me, that’s not a bad thing. It’s simply a fact.
***
So here’s another tactic for solving problems in your business.
Ditch the generalizations. Be specific.
Here’s an example of a generalization. This type of statement might make it onto the agenda for your weekly leadership meeting:
Our customer service function is failing.
Interesting.
There’s clearly an issue here that we need to address. This generalization is a starting point for discussion.
But if you aren’t careful, you’ll spend the rest of your meeting—and the next one, and the next one—debating the ins and outs of your customer service function.
Maybe you need to blow the whole thing up and start from scratch.
But usually, that’s not the best solution.
***
Here’s how I might guide the conversation to be more specific:
What do you mean when you say the customer service function is failing?
Well, our customer satisfaction ratings are going down because our reps are underperforming.
Okay, helpful. Who owns customer satisfaction?
(Bob pipes in) I do.
Okay, Bob. Tell me about the underperforming reps.
Well, most of our reps are actually meeting their goals. It’s really Janet and Mark who aren’t performing well.
So the issue is with Janet and Mark. Tell me more about them.
Well, they are our two newest team members. So they don’t have as much experience as the other reps.
Are they receiving ongoing training?
Actually, their onboarding was pretty light because we were understaffed when they came onto the team.
Could additional training solve the problems with Janet and Mark?
Maybe. I don’t think we know yet. But training them would be a good next step.
Great. How can you make that actionable?
I’ll create a training plan and meet with Janet and Mark next week to start implementing it. Then we can see if things improve.
Excellent.
***
That’s just one way the conversation could go. A different conversation could uncover that Janet simply isn’t going to make it. Or that the customer service team doesn’t have enough process documentation. Or that Bob lacks sufficient managerial skills. There are a thousand variations.
The point, though, is that the problem became something extremely specific. And specific is actionable. Specific is solvable. Specific is far less overwhelming.
Sometimes, you have to start general to get specific.
Even better? Work with your leadership team (and, eventually, every one of your employees) to think and speak specifically.
You’ll save time.
You’ll get to the front domino faster.
You’ll avoid rabbit holes.
***
One final note about being specific. People often avoid specificity because they think it gets too personal.
They don’t want to say “Janet and Mark are underperforming,” so instead, they say “the customer service function sucks.”
Here’s the reality. The issue is always tied back to a person. A person has to own the problem—and a person (the same person or a different one) has to own the solution.
90% of your business is people.
But being specific actually makes things less personal, not more personal.
The issue isn’t that Janet and Mark are terrible people—or even terrible employees. The issue is that Janet and Mark aren’t achieving the necessary customer satisfaction levels.
And in this case, the first step is to give them more training. The solve isn’t even their responsibility.
When you get specific, you can take the person out of it and focus on the problem instead.
Only use generalization as a pathway to specificity. When you can, be as specific as possible, as soon as possible.
That’s how you grow as a leader. And that’s how you get better at solving your business problems.
P.S. You may be stuck generalizing about the problems in your business because you don’t know what the real problem is. Our consulting team can offer an expert, external perspective and help you find the solution. Contact us today.
