I walked into a department that had bad morale, a backlog of work that would make your head spin, outdated technology and processes, and horrible customer service, I had to come up with effective problem-solving tactics to turn around this department fast!
I came up with the who, what, where, when, why and how process for identifying the current situation, identifying the problem, and lastly solving the problem.
You CAN lead projects that are free of delays, make well-informed decisions that consistently achieve the goals of your business, agency or your career. By doing this, you will reduce stress, stay motivated and answer those hard questions that your boss will ask!
There are 5 powerful benefits when using the ‘who, what, where, when, why and how’ problem-solving method.
#1. Increased efficiencies
– Within your department, organization and possibly your career!
Always address workplace problems quickly. However, sometimes the actual problem-solving process is extremely slow. But at the end of the day, after solving the problem and implementing the solution(s), you will have removed obstacles that slow down the important processes, streamline your workflows that reduce downtime, improving resource allocation, and allowing your teams to complete tasks faster.
This proactive approach boosts you and your team’s moral, everyone’s overall productivity and helps to ensure that your projects stay on track and meet deadlines.
#2. Improved Decision-Making
Problem solving can drive improve decision-making and strengthen communication, generate cost savings and boost team morale.
A structured problem-solving method will help you make well-informed decisions. By analyzing each and every situation, gathering relevant data, and evaluating possible solutions, you eliminate guesswork (and can answer any question your boss will ask you about the project).
Pro-tip: Always have a solution to your problems before approaching your boss.
#3. Enhanced Communication
Problem solving strengthen your communication skills as well as your teams.
When you solve problems systematically, communication between you, your team members and the projects’ stakeholders improve. By clearly defining the problem and the proposing solutions, you ensure that everyone understands what’s at stake and how to move forward. Reduce any misunderstandings and increase departmental and interagency collaboration.
Enhanced communication will always lead to smoother implementations and fewer conflicts.
#4. Save money!
Problem solving can generate cost savings.
Solving issues systematically could result in significant cost savings. Problems that go unchecked often lead to bigger, more expensive challenges, issues, and confusion. By addressing issues early on, you prevent costly disruptions and reduce wasteful spending. By optimizing all your processes will lead to better resource management, ensuring that time, labor, and materials are used more efficiently.
#5. Stronger Team Morale
When team members see their ideas, comments, complaints, proposals being considered, they become part of the solution. Encouraging ownership of the problem-solving process brings a sense of purpose and pride in their work. Your team will be a more resilient team when you involve everyone one. The office environment will improve. You and your team will increase productivity and become a more cohesive team.
In any organizational improvement effort, identifying the current situation is the 1st step toward success.
By systematically analyzing who uses the tool or process, what it is, where it resides, when it’s used, why it exists, and how it’s used, you gather the critical information needed to evaluate its effectiveness.
This understanding sets the stage for identifying specific problems and proposing targeted solutions that improve efficiency, reduce waste, and enhance overall organizational performance.
Armed with this knowledge, you, your team and the decision-makers will move forward with confidence, ensuring that the right processes are optimized, and resources are allocated effectively.
The turnaround of my department was not fast. It took 3 years. But at the end of it all, it was a HUGE success. If I can do it, you can too!
