Birds and problem solving... a perspective.

Alejandro Jodorowsky said, "Birds born in cages think flying is an illness"; an imaginative reminder that our circumstances will influence how we view the world, how we think, and ultimately how we act. This is a truism if ever there was one - Based on our perspective, we will look at things differently than others. 

As a positive, this leads to different points of view, fresh thinking and a better understanding of situations; conversely though, a point of view between some people can be so different (and even though they are articulate and eloquent), they truly can't understand each other. She said "white" and he heard "black" is a tongue-in-cheek example, but does sum it up nicely.

If you have ever been through a profiling exercise, be it DISC, Myers-Briggs or any of the colour based profiling, you know that not only do you better understand yourself, but also develop an understanding of the differences in people; you appreciate why we look at the world differently and how to find common ground for effective communication and understanding - As the old adage goes, "If you want to understand someone, walk a mile in their shoes".

So what does this mean for creative problem solving? With consideration to the premise that the better you understand a situation, the better your solution will be; you want a wide range of perspectives to get a better result. But in this, lies a rub...

If perspectives are so different, it may be very difficult (if not impossible) to understand each other, which not only negates the value of looking at a situation differently, but leads to frustration, misunderstanding and conflict. The trick is to get various perspectives that are different enough to better understand the situation, while developing the skills and an environment to find a common ground to understand those different perspectives - The better you are this, the wider array of perspectives you can engage... and that's just good for problem solving.

• Encourage profile exercises for you and your team to better understand individual "make-up" and dynamics - In turn learn how you best work and communicate with each other.  
• Struggling to understand each other? Solicit others and their point of view... it will encourage clarity of understanding for everyone.
• Put yourself in the other person's shoes to better understand how and why they see what they see.
• Remember patience. Sometimes it takes time to understand someone else's point of view.
• In most cases, a different perspective is not wrong... just different.

When understanding a situation or problem, the goal is not to assess "right or wrong" regarding perspectives, but rather understand all perspectives and ensure you have developed the clearest picture... and from there, the best solution to your problem.

I hope my perspective makes sense.

gpe

DMAIC... a tool for controlling "the quick fix" and Murphy's Law.

The following is the original and rewrite can be found by clicking here.

Up front I will say I have had Six Sigma Black Belt training, completed a project and have been in my share of "deep dive and fishbone" meetings, but am not certified... this makes me profoundly obnoxious when it comes to all things functional excellence and know just enough to be dangerous. (in a safe and good intentioned sort of way) 

Six Sigma is a set of techniques and tools for process improvement developed by Motorola and made famous by Jack Welsh, as part of his management strategy at General Electric. As a big fan of creative problem solving and optimizing execution, process improvement offers a vast treasure chest of frameworks and tools; one of my most favorite is the DMAIC project methodology. Define. Measure. Analyze. Improve. Control.*

• Define the system, the voice of the customer, their requirements, and the project goals.
• Measure key aspects of the current process and collect relevant data.
• Analyze the data to investigate and verify cause-and-effect relationships. 
• Improve or optimize the current process based upon data analysis 
• Control the future state process to ensure that any deviations from the target are corrected before they result in defects. 

In the context of Problem Solving, DMIAC can be slightly tweaked with regard to language and become a nice framework for working through problems:

• Define the problem at hand and its impact internally and externally.
• Measure the key aspects of the problem regarding its impact.
• Analyze the problem to determine possible solutions
• Improve the situation with a solution and execution plan.
• Control the solution's future state to ensure the problem doesn't re-occur or create a new problem.

The DMAIC framework comes in handy for problem solving, but it is with the reminder to CONTROL that truly secures its utility in the proverbial toolbox - Control the solution's future state to ensure the problem doesn't re-occur or creates a new problem... or as I like to say, control "the quick fix". And we all know what that looks like; the duct tape used to stop a water leak; the coat hanger to hold up the muffler; the part-time employee responsible for an important strategic initiative... all fine examples of "the quick fix". 

I understand that urgency may require "the quick fix" use of duct tape to prevent your basement from flooding, but in reality it should be a step in the solution, not the solution. And this is why I like DMAIC in my toolbox... it is a reminder to ask the question, "Is the solution to the problem a quick fix or a solution that has controlled the problem for the long term?" 

Why should you care about controlling the quick fix? That's an easy answer, to reduce the impact of Murphy's Law which states, "If anything can go wrong, it will". Murphy's Law, by nature will unravel your quick fix solution at the most inopportune time, more often than not, causing problems much larger than original problem the quick fix tried to address.

Remember that duct tape used to stop the leak and was good enough to do the job? Murphy's Law will guarantee an hour after you have left for a long weekend get-away the tape will peak away from the pipe and when you get home you will be greeted by thousands of dollars in water damage. Fiction maybe, but then again this is the type of story Murphy's Law encourages.

Murphy's Law is a universal constant**, but my experience is remembering DMAIC and avoiding the "quick fix" will reduce the number of times you say to yourself, "What was I thinking!"

gpe 

* DMIAC definitions generously supplied by Wikipedia

** There is no scientific data to suggest Murphy's Law is a universal constant but sometimes it does feel that way. 

A man who carries a cat by the tail...

The following is the original and the rewrite can be found by clicking here

"A man who carries a cat by the tail learns something he can learn no other way".

I read this the other day and smiled at the imagery it conjured up, as well as how it re-enforced Mark Twain as a master of the analogy. I will say up front I have not literally carried a cat by the tail, but I would envision something like this... 

A piercing cat cry, followed with screams and hisses of recognition, as the cat finds itself in a very unnatural vertical position facing the ground. Ears folded back and sharp incisors snapping, the cat brings it's claws to bear, violently lunging and contouring its sleek body up to defy gravity. The poor soul, who thought this was a good idea, tries to hold on to the tail, stay balanced and is forever compensating to avoid the angry cat's weaponry. And remember, the cat is being carried, so this is all happening on the move.

Reflecting on this somewhat comical and unsettling image, I can't help but think of it in the context of the challenging situations, problems and opportunities we can be faced with. Mark Twain is good that way, offering a full spectrum analogy.

Sometimes you just shouldn't carry a cat by the tail: I am a big believer of growing, changing and exploring new things, but sometimes it makes sense to leave well enough alone; particularly if you are not prepared for, or don't have a clear picture of what you will get from "carrying the cat"... other than expended energy, acquiring telltale scars, and haunting memories.

Sometimes you just have to carry a cat by the tail: Some say experience is the only real teacher and the only way to truly learn how to "carry a cat by the tail"... is to do it.

• You will learn how not to let go when the going gets difficult (or painful)
• You will learn new skills to deal with new situations. 
• You will learn how to adapt and manage ever changing dynamics.
• There is knowledge and development that only comes with what is inherently difficult.
• With some things, you can only learn from your mistakes.

Sometimes you have to carry a cat by the tail so one day you will be able to carry a "Tiger" by the tail: The premise of carrying a cat by the tail is that it is difficult by nature and by working through this difficulty; lessons, skills and knowledge come your way. With overcoming the challenges of carrying a cat, it prepares you for the time when you may need (or want) to carry a "Tiger" by the tail. And I will suggest they are magnitudes more difficult.

There is something about the image of carrying a cat by the tail that is simply a painful endeavour; something most people would not entertain. On the other hand, those who take on the metaphorical challenge of "carrying a cat by the tail", endure the struggle and the pain, will have learned unique and important skills that will serve them well in the future. So when challenging problems and situations present themselves, grab them and hold on.

Please note, I am not suggesting you literally carry a cat by the tail... it is just cruel, and I would suggest you will lose the battle, with a trip to the doctor in your future.

gpe