How to solve people problems with one critical question!
Solve People Problems Fast with One Critical Question
By Chris Stark
An executive’s most frustrating job is dealing with subordinates’ people problems. And through my personal frustration, I’ve learned how to make smarter people-decisions faster. Better questions lead to better answers lead to better results.
What’s the Problem?
If you’re like me, you’ve got to make people decisions fast. During my more than 20 years as an executive, including as the COO of a fast growing, national, restaurant chain, I had to hire fast and evaluate fast. At the beginning, I’d ask my managers to describe the problem and their attempted solutions until I couldn’t take any more drama.
To speed the process, I’d direct them to the point by asking, “Why do you think this problem is happening in the first place?”
The answers would range from a blank stare to “That’s a whole other story.”
If I wanted to compress decision-making time, I had to ask a better question.
What’s the Reason?
What I discovered is that people fail for three reasons: they don’t know, they can’t do, or they don’t care.
I started asking a better way: “Is this problem happening because they don’t know, can’t do, or don’t care?”
And immediately the answer to the problem appeared.
They Don’t Know
These people really don’t know what to do or how to do it. In this case, people fall short because they lack the knowledge and skill - the applied knowledge - to do the work. This can be determined through testing, interviewing, role-playing and observation.
Solution: Create a formal and on-the-job training program for them with clear goals and timelines. If they can’t grow into the position, re position them where they can be successful.
They Can’t Do
These people truly lack the capacity to do what they are being asked to do. In this case, people fall short physically, cognitively or emotionally.
Solution: Re-define the job so these people can actually do it, or re-position them to another job. Unfortunately, re-positioning a person often involves some form of a demotion. This means that they shouldn’t have been promoted in the first place. Note: when this happens, it requires an honest evaluation of your selection and succession criteria and process.
They Don’t Care
These people really don’t care about the work, their peers, their boss and/or the company’s mission.
Solution: Confront these people about how they are being perceived and why they think they are coming across that way. The legitimate reasons might include the following:
- They weren’t correctly trained
- They aren’t fairly managed
- They are in over their head.
Any one of these reasons can dramatically lower commitment over time. Accordingly, it is leadership’s responsibility to make necessary corrections ASAP. In return, these people must show visible signs of rapidly regaining full commitment.
Unfortunately, drama aside, it too often ends up that these people just don’t care. If this is the case, you must “release them back into the community” so they can pursue opportunities with a different company, preferably a competitor.
Are They Promotable?
This model is also very useful in longer-term people evaluations such as: cross training, promotion, and succession planning.
Put It In Play Today
The Don’t Know, Can’t do, Don’t Care model works! Face the problem. Ask the question. Do the evaluation. Make the call. Take the action. Put the problem behind you.
Sam Chand
