“Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective not the truth.” – Marcus Aurelis***
“I don’t care who did it just fix it!”
“I don’t wanna know what happened, you are all to blame!”
Ever heard someone say something like that?
Have you ever said something like that? Was the problem actually rectified such that it never happened again? Maybe it was just a fluke to begin with… or maybe you created another problem when those who heard you became resentful of your blaming them for problems they did not cause or grouping them in with guilty parties they normally work hard to avoid.
“So what if I did?” You say? Well, consider this…
Leaders Are Problem Solvers
Leaders exist to solve problems. The more problems solved the more promotable and more valuable you are. This doesn’t mean every boss and every organization will value you, but it does say that many will and if people don’t, God certainly will. There is a scripture that indicates that God is the one who does the promoting anyway, so don’t worry about the haters, should that be your hindrance. They won’t be there always. Given the fact that leaders exist to solve problems, then that means as a leader I, you, we, should be actively involved in finding, solving and resolving problems in our sphere of influence.
If we want to solve problems, listening is a necessity. It is impossible to solve a problem or resolve an issue without listening. We would be very hard pressed to convince people that we are listening when we utter such words as, “I don’t care who did it just fix it,” or “I don’t wanna know who said it, you are all to blame!” That is not listening. That’s talking. That’s ordering. That’s venting, but it is not listening. When we listen to others, we will identify the steps necessary to solve whatever the problem is.
Steps to Problem Solving 101
1. Get the Facts
When we are met with problems and we need to do initial sleuthing the first order of business is to get the facts. Even if we delegate the task of fact finding to someone else, we need to know the facts, the truth about what actually happened.
- Who was involved?
- What actually happened?
- When?
- How?
- Why?
Talk to every person involved. Ask each of them the same questions. Believe it or not, most people are genuinely honest and will tell you the truth, especially if you project a calm, compassionate, impartial position. If you have a history of taking sides or getting overly emotional, some individuals may be hesitant to share much with you. This is why ongoing positive communication and self-positioning is imperative when leading others. Position yourself as an objective, fair, friendly yet focused individual. People have long memories, even if you don’t. The private individual conversations will prompt additional questions, so take copious notes!
2. Don’t Jump to Conclusions
I have had to conduct more fact finding ventures in my career than I care to remember. Some were very nerve racking and some rather interesting. Given the high stakes in some instances, it can be stressful, but whether you are fact finding to discover who stole the donuts out of the break room or who stole the money out of the cash register, treat both in the same manner. While one is much more serious than the other, they both matter in the scheme of things. We want people we can trust on our teams. The teams we trust also need to trust that we will treat them fairly when bad things happen. So don’t assume that John the complainer, who works two jobs is automatically the one who took the money out of the cash register or that Tess, who loves sweets is the one who stole the donuts. You might be surprised to find out that Tess took the money and John threw the donuts in the garbage! Let the facts lead where they may.
I had to investigate a rather tense situation once. The person who brought the initial matter to me ultimately led me into what turned out to be a Pandora’s box filled with other issues. As one thing led to another, this person who first came to me was the one many believed was behind multiple concerns. In fact, many of the leaders in the area where he worked, were convinced that he was the source of all their troubles. Though he was one to stir up a lot of dust, and he was not stellar in all his ways, there was not a shred of evidence that he was guilty of anything other than stirring up a lot of dirt and getting on people’s nerves. Those that were least suspect actually turned out to be doing the most inappropriate things. Don’t jump to conclusions. Let the facts lead where they may.
3. Keep Information Confidential
When looking into matters that matter, keep the information to yourself and only share it with others on a need to know basis. I have seen many leaders, especially in non corporate environments, chatting with others about important issues that affect others. The conversations sometimes revealed a little too much. I know these leaders were assuming it was OK to share the information amongst one another, but if the person has no role in the fact finding or in the leadership of that individual, don’t share the information. Sometimes, these conversations can also lead to misinformation and misunderstanding of the facts themselves as other opinions begin to get thrown in the mix.
There are times that a department or company leader will share details of a situation with leaders under their direction, though these other leaders may not be directly involved or impacted by the situation at hand. This can be a valuable learning opportunity for these leaders, as they may one day be in the role of the higher leader. This is not an unusual method of leadership development. It is however important that everyone be clear why others have been made privy to what is occurring in the investigation. It must also be made clear that they are to maintain confidentiality in the matter and are not to think they can share it with others of their own choosing.
4. Be Fair
Once all the information is in, give clear thought to what the next steps should be. Unlike the initial insinuations that everyone is to blame, you will probably have discovered by now that everyone is not to blame. Based upon who actually is at fault, make sure you go according to policy and practice before taking action. When I say policy and practice, I mean make sure that the policy you have written matches past practice and that you act accordingly. If you have a policy that you have never adhered to in practice, now is not the time to do so. Your best option in that case might be to follow past practice then when this is done, re-establish the ground rules and re-introduce the new policy and new practice that will be used going forward.
5. Let the Punishment Fit the Crime
I once had a VP that I respected a great deal. I had worked in a rather antiquated department where little or no professional development or responsibility was nurtured. I transferred out and came back a couple years later. This VP had come in while I was gone, pretty much changed the entire structure and tone of the department and I was then able to partake in the benefits of those changes when I returned in another position later. He was pretty sharp and enlightening to talk to. The person in the role before him was not someone you would ever go have a conversation with. His scowl alone would prevent that from happening. With that in mind, you can appreciate what I’m about to share. He said that we have to give thought to what responses we give to what we deem bad behaviors. We (leaders, administrators etc.) needed to let the punishment fit the crime. He pointed out how managers were in the habit of suspending people for absenteeism. On the one hand it is rather harsh because it impacts their pay and they may have some very serious issues going on in their lives but on the other hand it was not the best option. Giving days off, albeit suspension, to an individual who is in trouble for taking days off is in fact a reward. The most appropriate thing to do would be moving them through a progressive form of discipline… which we also began to call corrective action instead of disciplinary action.
We want to make sure we are not being too easy nor should we be too harsh. If Tess took the money out of the cash register, that is grounds for dismissal but the amount taken might warrant a requirement that she pay the money back – yes it has been done…unless of course your fact finding reveals that Tess took the money, with the supervisor’s approval, to replace the donuts that John threw out the night before because the donuts were for the open house scheduled to take place on the day of all this drama (LOL). In this case, once again, everyone was not at fault though everyone but you may have been well aware of what was really going on. You are now faced with the reality that this whole thing was blown out of proportion and maybe could have been handled differently if you had listened sooner and given everyone the benefit of the doubt… you know, the opportunity to explain and tell you what was really happening. You still have to act but looks like John and Tess are in the clear but that supervisor might need a serious meeting with you. That person should have informed you long before the money was reported missing, so ultimately, that supervisor is the one who should be dealt with…but docking his or her pay might be a bit much. Make sure the punishment fits the crime!
Closing Thoughts
Fact finding and problem solving go hand in hand but don’t be surprised as investigations are always full of surprises. I think that’s the thrill of it all. More proof that leadership is never boring! Just remember to Get the Facts, Don’t Jump to Conclusions before you get all the information, Keep it Confidential and share only as needed, Be Fair with those involved once you know the truth and please Let the Punishment Fit the Crime.
I know leadership is a real balancing act… remember this, don’t do that… but the more we learn the better we become and over time the right behaviors become habits that others can truly appreciate. I have crossed paths with some great leaders and they all inspired me to walk the same path. It boils down to an each one teach one reality. After all, leaders aren’t born they’re made!