3qtr2004 - Ask the Coach: Better Triage, Problem Solving, and Recovery
Question: Problems just seem to happen to me and when they do, I get totally derailed. The next thing I know it's several days later and while I may have solved that particular problem, I'm really behind in everything else. Any suggestions?
Answer: There are actually a few issues all bundled up inside this thing. First, there's the problem at hand, what to do about it, and how to get it done. Second, there's how long it takes to work through all of that and get back to the matters at hand. And third, there's all that other stuff that's still there waiting for you.
Typically when trouble strikes, we go into 'red alert' mode - it's a crisis, I've got to deal with it, and everything else has to take a back seat. Experience has shown, though, that there are different types of crises - BIG crises, medium crises, and itty-bitty crises. Sure, they all qualify for 'red alert' mode, but they do come is all sizes, shapes and varieties. And since all crises are not alike, an important first step is to assess just how big a particular situation really is. No need to use a bulldozer when a little trowel is all that's needed, right? So let's call step one "triage."
The second step is where you actually work to solve the problem, so we can call it "problem solving." There are two key questions to ask and the first one is obvious: "What needs to be done to make things right again?" But there's another one that deserves equal, if not more, attention and that is: "What needs to be put in place to insure (or decrease the probability) that this same problem will not occur again in the future?" If you've ever had a deja vu, this is why - you solved the problem before, but didn't put in place any mechanisms to prevent it from happening again. So it did! That being said, it's important you think through - and talk about with others - what to do before the next time to help prevent the next time.
Step Three is "recovery." Working on problems can be difficult and exhausting work, so it's only natural that we need time to cool-out or decompress before getting back into the swing of things. And this is where most people waste a LOT of time because even though the crisis is over, the emotional shock of it - and it is emotionally shocking - lingers on...and on...and on! But does it have to? Sure there's some recuperation needed, but often times that recuperation gets delayed because, quite frankly, we're not quite finished feeling sorry for ourselves. Well take a deep breath, put a smile on your face and realize that one of the single-most important indicators of our well-being - and success - is directly related to how well we recover. Think about a pit crew at a Nascar event. You want to talk pressure? You want to talk stress? They have to get in there, do whatever it is they need to do, and get the heck out of there A.S.A.P. So in a lot of ways, your ability to recover is a lot like what a pit crew does. See the connection? Get in there, do whatever it is you need to do to recover, and get the heck out of there A.S.A.P. so you can get back to all that other stuff that' waiting for you.
The more efficient you are at the recovery stage, the easier it will be to integrate whatever problems arise into your daily work. So take a few moments and think about what helps you recover. Think about what you want your pit crew to be ready to do. See the recovery from the crisis as important, if not more so, than working through the actual crisis itself - and challenge yourself to recover more and more quickly with each new situation that's given to you.
Answer: There are actually a few issues all bundled up inside this thing. First, there's the problem at hand, what to do about it, and how to get it done. Second, there's how long it takes to work through all of that and get back to the matters at hand. And third, there's all that other stuff that's still there waiting for you.
Typically when trouble strikes, we go into 'red alert' mode - it's a crisis, I've got to deal with it, and everything else has to take a back seat. Experience has shown, though, that there are different types of crises - BIG crises, medium crises, and itty-bitty crises. Sure, they all qualify for 'red alert' mode, but they do come is all sizes, shapes and varieties. And since all crises are not alike, an important first step is to assess just how big a particular situation really is. No need to use a bulldozer when a little trowel is all that's needed, right? So let's call step one "triage."
The second step is where you actually work to solve the problem, so we can call it "problem solving." There are two key questions to ask and the first one is obvious: "What needs to be done to make things right again?" But there's another one that deserves equal, if not more, attention and that is: "What needs to be put in place to insure (or decrease the probability) that this same problem will not occur again in the future?" If you've ever had a deja vu, this is why - you solved the problem before, but didn't put in place any mechanisms to prevent it from happening again. So it did! That being said, it's important you think through - and talk about with others - what to do before the next time to help prevent the next time.
Step Three is "recovery." Working on problems can be difficult and exhausting work, so it's only natural that we need time to cool-out or decompress before getting back into the swing of things. And this is where most people waste a LOT of time because even though the crisis is over, the emotional shock of it - and it is emotionally shocking - lingers on...and on...and on! But does it have to? Sure there's some recuperation needed, but often times that recuperation gets delayed because, quite frankly, we're not quite finished feeling sorry for ourselves. Well take a deep breath, put a smile on your face and realize that one of the single-most important indicators of our well-being - and success - is directly related to how well we recover. Think about a pit crew at a Nascar event. You want to talk pressure? You want to talk stress? They have to get in there, do whatever it is they need to do, and get the heck out of there A.S.A.P. So in a lot of ways, your ability to recover is a lot like what a pit crew does. See the connection? Get in there, do whatever it is you need to do to recover, and get the heck out of there A.S.A.P. so you can get back to all that other stuff that' waiting for you.
The more efficient you are at the recovery stage, the easier it will be to integrate whatever problems arise into your daily work. So take a few moments and think about what helps you recover. Think about what you want your pit crew to be ready to do. See the recovery from the crisis as important, if not more so, than working through the actual crisis itself - and challenge yourself to recover more and more quickly with each new situation that's given to you.
Labels: Ask the Coach, Feature Articles
posted by Barry Zweibel at 10:14 AM
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