Emotional Options

What's the strongest emotion for you? 

What's the one emotion that more often than not seems to run you instead of you running the emotion?

If the answer is "none" then good for you, and maybe share how you got there because it sure is hard for most of us. Emotions once activated send all the right chemicals thru our bodies to keep us in that elevated emotional state. When we need that flush of energy it's worth experiencing the rush. When we don't, it gets in the way.

We can choose.

We have the ability to take emotions out of problem solving if we are willing to. 

Are you willing to?

-- doug smith 

Bad Solutions?

You do not need to accept a solution that is forced on you. You might well be better off with the problem still in place.

Speed is great, until it isn't.

-- doug smith

 

Hard Work

Collaborative problem solving makes conflict resolution just and fair.

Resolving conflict and solving problems are not the same thing, but they do share much in common and can unify efforts toward better solutions.

Work together. Talk about it. Share concerns. Consider (always) the needs of others.

It's not magic, it's hard work.

-- doug smith

 

Where Did It Start?

We tend to claim that we don't want problems. Let's just keep it smooth. Let's not rock the boat.

And yet, worry and anxiety and low self-esteem can produce an unlimited amount of concern. There must be a problem, right, because there always is a problem?

It's hard to talk yourself out of a problem that you talked yourself into.

What do you tell yourself about your problems? Maybe that's a place to start.

-- doug smith

You're Still OK

Maybe it didn't turn out \exactly as you planned. Maybe the problem is still clanking around in the background or even right in front of you. 

There you are. Calm. Focused. Centered. 

Centered problem solvers are OK even if their problem is not yet solved.

-- doug smith 

Consider

Simply buying some one's solution solves one problem but it might not be yours that it solves.

Consider the source. Consider the agenda. Consider the ramifications.

Centered problem solving could take longer, but you'll like the results more.

-- doug smith

 

Over-thinking?

Some problems are only problems  because you think they're problems.

Too much thinking? Or too little?

-- doug smith

 

Keep Going

A problem won't stop you if you don't stop.

-- doug smith

 

First, You

Take care of yourself first, then deal with the problem.

-- doug smith

 

Strength and...

Problem solving builds strength and clarity.

-- doug smith

 

Invisible Agenda?

Be careful of an answer that feels automatic. What if the obvious solution is an illusion?

Problems seldom create their own solutions without magnifying the problem. 

Just because you can't see an agenda doesn't mean that there isn't one...

-- doug smith

 

Unconditional

 

Do you believe that love can solve a problem?

It may not be magic, but it is a great place to begin. Love, rather than resentment, for the situation. Acceptance and compassion for the person or thing in the way helps us see more possibilities.

Unconditional love enriches the target of the love. And, there's a wonderful bonus. Unconditional love enriches the giver most of all.

-- doug smith

Moderation

Moderation produces more opportunities than extremism.

-- doug smith

 

It's Not About the Money

Of course we all need to make money. We earn our profits with honor when we provide goods, services, and care for our customers. It's possible to create a better world AND make money in the process.

But, all too often, in that process we encounter problems. In  the service of our people (customers, team members, vendors, regulators...) we should solve those problems.

Sometimes, companies seek to monetize that process by creating problem situations that beg for solutions, which are then made available for an upgrade with an extra fee. Yuck. Short term that may seem smart but long term it's burning down the house you live in just to warm it up.

The minute you monetize problem solving you create more problems. 

And those problems will be much harder to solve.

-- doug smith

 

Follow the Script?

 

Have you ever had a conversation with a customer service representative and you could tell that they were simply following a script?

How did you feel about that?

Sometimes the script works, but usually it doesn't feel human to the customer. As we get more and more responses from actual robots, it's worth considering how much better we can give human responses as humans.

Quick Service Do's and Don'ts:

• Don't just follow a script when you hear it's not working.
• Don't assume that the customer is wrong.
• Don't take it personally when the customer gets upset.
• Don't argue with the customer.

Instead, do these:

• Do listen to understand the customer's needs.
• Do empathize with the customer.
• Do collaborate rather than dictate.
• Do think creatively, even if you need to pause, in order to find better answers.

That's not the whole list, of course, but it's a useful place to start. No matter who we're talking to we should always be better than a robot.

-- doug smith

A Frustrating Problem

As an old six sigma project manager I firmly believe that most problems are caused by broken processes, not broken people.

But let's face it, some people not only don't realize that but they refuse to fix the process.

If you know a process is broken, and do nothing to change that, the problem gets worse. If you can solve someone's problem but refuse to, you might be the problem.

Don't be the problem. Fix the process, even if you need help.

Because there are no perfect processes, but there are lots of people avoiding them.

-- doug smith