Reputation in Problem-Solving

Digital leaders and professionals should be self-aware of their role in problems, show professional maturity, and develop a good reputation as effective problem-solvers.

We all develop reputations for being problem creators, problem definers, or problem solvers. To close the problem-solving capability gap, it is important to keep sharpening our problem-solving skills. 

Observability in problem-solving involves monitoring and controlling a solution's performance to ensure it meets expectations and to adapt to changing conditions. This includes several key steps:

Implementation Oversight: Senior management oversees the implementation of a solution to test its effectiveness and make necessary adjustments.

Detailed Instructions and Training: Preparing detailed instructions for those who will implement the solution and training them to follow these instructions.

Seeking Cooperation: Involving those who can carry out the solution and those who might be affected by it throughout the problem-solving process.

Pretesting and Correction: Implementation plans and schedules are pretested, and any deficiencies are corrected before full implementation.

Performance Comparison: Comparing the actual performance of the solution with initial expectations to identify any significant deviations.

Corrective Action: Taking corrective action if the model is wrongly constructed or used, the data is incorrect, the solution is incorrectly carried out, or the system/environment changes unexpectedly.

Systematic Assumption Checking: Because most models involve assumptions, these should be checked systematically.

Continuous Learning and Adaptation: Effective controls enable a better understanding of the system's dynamics, allowing the problem-solving system to learn from its experiences and adapt to changing conditions.

The business world is becoming more complex than ever. There is a shortage of effective problem-solving management, which could be translated to a capacity shortage for both defining and solving the right problems. Digital leaders and professionals should be self-aware of their role in problems, show professional maturity, and develop a good reputation as effective problem-solvers.

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