Author Information
Jeanne
Member since 19th July 2007
Occupation: Management Consultant
Jeanne Sawyer is an author, consultant, trainer and coach who helps her clients
solve expensive, chronic problems, such as those that cause operational
disruptions and cause customers to take their business elsewhere. These tips are
excerpted from her book, When Stuff Happens: A Practical Guide to Solving
Problems Permanently. Now also an ebook, find out about it and get more free information on
problem solving at her web site: http://www.sawyerpartnership.com/.
15th October 2008
Measure the right things. It’s not enough just to measure—you have to measure the right things.
A common measurement trap is to measure something because it’s “interesting.” If knowing a measurement won’t change anything (e.g...
03rd September 2008
Test your assumptions about everything.
Assumptions have a way of creeping into all parts of a problem-solving project. They’re often wrong, which can lead to a lot of wasted effort and even cause a problem-solving project to fail entirely. It...
24th July 2008
Use your time for problems that are truly important.
Hard as it may be to walk away once you're aware of it, just because a problem is there doesn't mean you have to solve it. Ask yourself and your colleagues, "What will happen if we...
02nd April 2008
Define the Problem First.
It seems obvious, but how many times have we gone to a problem-solving meeting and the discussion started with either whose fault was it or an assertion about the proper solution?
Instead, explain what th...
21st February 2008
The first key question to answer in starting a problem-solving project is, “How will you know when the problem is solved?” Answer this question in measurable terms before you start trying to solve the problem. As you begin defining your problem, these...
25th July 2007
The ability to solve complicated problems quickly is more important than ever in today’s competitive world. From the time we’re little kids, we’re taught to solve problems by trial and error. That’s fine if the problem is as simple as a...
