Problem-Solving Success Tip: Use Your Time for Problems that are Truly ImportantLearn Management Articles on management-info.biz. Problem-Solving Success Tip: Use Your Time for Problems that are Truly Important article will help answer your questions on Management Articles.We at management-info.biz specialize in Management Articles. Management Articles at management-info.biz provides the most up to date news and articles. If you have questions please do not hesitate to contact us.
Hard as it may be to walk away once you're aware of it, just because a problem is there doesn't mean you have to solve it. Ask yourself and your colleagues, 'What will happen if we don't solve this problem?' If the answer is, 'not much,' then turn your attention to something more important. If you don't know what will happen, find out before you undertake a problem-solving project. It should be clear to you and everyone else involved that the problem is worth the effort--and expense--to fix it. Quantify the cost of the problem quickly, but as realistically as you can. Include lost opportunity costs as well as real expenses such as staff time to deal with the problem, travel expenses, etc. Use actual costs where you can; estimate where you can't. Then guesstimate what it will cost to analyze and fix it. Write your analysis down, stating all your assumptions explicitly. Get a colleague to verify that your assumptions and estimates are reasonable. Start with a rough 'order of magnitude' estimate. That may be enough to answer the question of whether you should proceed. If it's not clear, especially if the cost to solve it will be high, do a more careful analysis. If it will cost more to fix than to live with the problem, or if the number is even close, perhaps your resources (time, people, money) are better spent on other projects. If you decide to proceed anyway, you can do so with a better understanding of what you're undertaking. On the other hand, if you can demonstrate that the cost of the problem is much higher than the cost of solving it, using estimates based on reasonable assumptions, it will generally be much easier to get the resources you need. You can use your written analysis as a sales tool to help win support for your decision to proceed or not. We have to learn to distinguish those things that are truly important from those that are merely urgent. --Jerry D. Campbell
copyright 2005. Jeanne Sawyer. All Rights Reserved. |
More Articles:1. Five Habits of Highly Effective Conflict Resolvers FIVE HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE CONFLICT RESOLVERSBy Dina Beach Lynch, Esq. Steven Covey had the right idea. There are discreet skills and attitudes, habits if you will, that can elevate your conflict practice to a new level. This article shares a selection of habits and attitudes that can transform a good conflict resolver into a highly effective one. By that I mean someone who facilitates productive, meaningful discussion between others that results in deeper self-awareness, mutual understandi… 2. The How-To's of Firing Incompetent Employees By Andrew E. Schwartz CATEGORIES OF OFFENSES: Most organizations have two categories of offenses in their policies. One category is for flagrant actions which are cause for immediate termination. Cited as examples of such offenses were theft of company property, gross negligence, and being intoxicated on the job. The second category comprises all other offenses for which some prior notification to the employee is required. In these cases, there is a slow but steady accrual of chronic problems or offenses, no single… 3. Take Your Firm to the Next Level By Kelly O'Brien So you did such a good job in 2003 at bringing in new clients to your firm that you’re swamped with business, your firm is large and growing, and all parts of your marketing system are in place and running smoothly? Congratulations - you're off to a great start for 2004!If you can confidently answer "yes!" to the following metrics, then you’re ready to take your practice to the next level (and if your answer is "no," get back to basics at http://www.turningpointemarketing.com)* Is your firm’s … 4. Ten Daily Habits to Explode Your Practice THE HABITS 1) Strengthen who you are by nourishing your mind and spirit. Pray, meditate, and or visualize each day for at least 10 minutes. 2) Make your dreams a reality by planning. State your intentions, write read, and say out loud your goals and your purpose before office hours start. 3) Improve your stats by leading and focusing your team. Acknowledge them, connect with them, and focus them on the day's priorities/goals/purpose before office hours (shift) starts. 4) Have a focus or a theme … |
||||
