What’s Your Problem?

Whoa. I am not picking a fight here my friend. I am asking a very serious and well-meaning question: what is your problem?

I spent the last weekend in Washington DC at the Inc 500|5000 event with some of the most brilliant CEOs in the country and this was a recurring theme in many conversations. That to take your company to the next level, it first take the CEOs to determine what the constraint of the current business is. In stating the problems – I don’t know our most profitable service; our working environment is toxic  – we are alluding to what a solution may look like – understand our services and its profitability; have a healthy working environment.

Then, to really attack the problem, we need more details to “frame” that problem. Why don’t we know our profitability? Our accounting puts out numbers that seem irrelevant to what we do. What is missing? It’d be nice if the sales numbers are broken down into different types of services and different teams. Is there anyone responsible for it? Yes. Who? The accounting manager. Who else should be involved? Maybe the project managers should be involved too. What does it cost to fix (or not) fix it? X dollars.  Is it really a problem?  If it costs more to fix than the potential value + the cost to not fix it, maybe we don’t have a problem after all.

“Framing” the problem takes effort but can create tremendous value. Once you’ve determined that your problem really is a valid problem, the next step is simple, find someone who can take you from where you are today (problem,) to where you want to be (solution.)

[bonus tip] A recurring crisis is not a crisis. It is the symptom of a hidden problem in your organization. Seek and destroy.

[pictured] It took me 12 hours (and an unintended city tour via DC metro) to get home from Washington DC. Here’s 30 other people who’s having the same problem and the company’s failed attempt at fixing it. See bonus tip.

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