The Art of Solving Challenges

Solving challenges is not as easy as it sounds. Many leadership teams don’t spend enough
time actually solving their organizational challenges. Others often don’t pick the most
important issues to address and still, others may think they have a solution, but the solution
doesn’t get executed. Leaders must learn to identify the root cause of their challenges
getting in the way of achieving their organizational goals and spend quality time working
towards a solution to those important challenges.
In a previous article, I identified the fact that the weekly leadership team meeting allocates a
full 60 minutes to solving challenges. All of the issues facing the company are compiled in
the challenges list and during that 60 minute period, all of the challenges are looked at and
the three most important challenges are circled. Then, one by one, these challenges are
Identified, Discussed and Solved. Here’s how it’s done?

 1.    Identify.
Clearly identify the real issue. Far too often, the issue being identified is actually a symptom
of the problem and not the problem itself. One way to truly define the root cause is to state
the issue as identified, then ask “what is the real problem.” From that answer, ask the “WHY
IS THAT” question at least five times to each subsequent answer. This can become
frustrating, but by the fifth time, the real issue has normally been identified. This should
realistically take no more than 5-10 minutes.

 2.    Discuss.
This is the time for each member of the leadership team to discuss the issue, giving everyone
a chance to say what they want to say. This can often lead to extended discussions.
Everything is put on the table in an open environment where individuals can feel comfortable
discussing it. It must be an open, honest and unfiltered discussion of the issues, not
personalities, with no politicking. Once repetition starts, it’s time to let someone else speak.
When everyone has made their points, stop the discussion and move to the solution stage.
The discussion should take no more than 10-15 minutes.

 3.    Solve.
The final step is solving the defined issue. The issue solving process can be quick, or it can
be lengthy. However, it is far easier to solve the issue once the real challenge has been
identified and everyone has stated their thoughts. The solution can take several forms.
Often, the solution is obvious or requires a single Task or a series of steps forming an Action
plan. The Action plan assigns responsibility to one person to oversee its completion and
includes a step by step plan, who will perform each step and by when.  It is only when that
Task or Action Plan is completed that the challenge can actually be considered solved and
the issue goes away forever.

4. Repeat for each challenge. 
Following this process ensures that your leadership team will devote sufficient time to solving
the most important challenges facing the company. Once mastered, watch how fast your
business grows.

David Saxe, BBA, CPA, CA, CBC
Business Performance Specialist
Accredited Facilitator – The Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team™
Certified Ownership Thinking™ Facilitator
Professional EOS™ Implementer

David has over 40 years of hands on business and business related work experience and is the Senior Associate of Next Level Business Planning. The firm provides leadership teams with the tools, training and skills to build high performance, cohesive, productive teams within their businesses organizations. David has a passion for working with leadership teams to help them create a laser-focused vision and provide the tools, training and traction to achieve that vision. He also helps to create a culture of engagement and accountability to maximize efficiency and profitability by training employees to think and act like owners. David can be reached at david@nextlevelbusinessplanning.com.