The art of problem-solving has been improved for years, much like the science of evolution; it takes generations, and there is still a missing link. (or did scientists find it, and I just missed the memo)

The Typical Process

Someone identifies a problem and suffers from the messenger syndrome, “Don’t Shoot the Messenger.” They are chastised and dubbed Debbie Downer. I recall my tenants would rather not be the ones to tell me about problems, so they would wait until I discovered it on my own or drop hints. They failed to realize that we were on the same team. Problems left unattended typically compound in my 65-year experience.

The Missing Link

I believe that learning from mistakes so we don’t repeat them is the missing link. It’s a novel idea, but the mental gymnastics needed to get from here to there and the time-space continuum makes it unlikely to complete the task in a lifetime. That is unless you are clever enough to pause and capture the essence and meaning and then plug it into a process to display in your company.

How We Do It Here

Look, I’m no pioneer on this front. I am just implementing the process into my quiver to ensure that when we take the shot, we will typically hit the target. Rarely does someone take a shot and not look to see what they just hit. Yet we do things all the time and never follow up. Wouldn’t it be cool to develop a tool to ensure we always learn from the shots we take? Just imagine how much progress we could make and not slip backward into the pit of despair, much like the movie by the same name, Groundhog Day,

Learning About Hot Things And More

I start by reflecting on how kids learn and how mammals learn. Hot Things Hurt. Sadly, we do not see failures as hot things, but the truth of the matter is that we need to be great at learning so that death from an accident, the ultimate “hot thing,” doesn’t happen. School zones, Helmets, and Seatbelts were the beginning of the end regarding evolution. My friend reminded me that birds had to learn how to deal with cars.

Process Improvement Sweet Spot

I’ve always admired restaurants for getting value out of employees with an average stay of 3 months. IMHO, employees don’t start making more than they earn in less than two years. The sweet spot is the perfect space for identifying and rectifying issues that arise. Here is the tool we use to improve our processes perpetually.

1. Being busy enough but not so busy.
2. Reflect regularly and use the space to capture/identify the essence of the area of concern.
3. Digest the thing that needs changing.
4. Making an educated guess at the solution.
5. Implement and communicate the change.

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