In search of creative problem solving - part one

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

Have you ever been walking in the woods with someone and they look up and say, "Hey look... a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker".

You then look up and say, "Um, no... Can't see it".

They then come back to you with, "See where I'm pointing, just above that broken branch".

This is what a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker looks like

You then look a little more intently and say, "Nope, still can't see it".

Then, in a slightly frustrated voice they say, " You see the broken branch, right?"

You say, "Yes". You look a little harder.

They then say, "Ok, to the left and up slightly. See it?"

You reply," Still can't see it"

"Let's move over here", they suggest, and you do.

They then suggest you look up the trunk of the tree about twenty feet and then at the third branch; you shift your gaze about three feet and there it is, the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker.

"Oh now I see it", you say with a bit of relief in your voice,  just as it flies away. (See picture if you missed it)

Creative problem solving, as well as situation analysis can be analogous to that search for the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. It's all about being able to see the situation and/or the solution.

Let me take a short detour for a moment, but not to worry, we will meander back to the topic at hand. A while ago I wrote a post called "The Lemonade Stand... a way of thinking" (December 10, 2014) offering some thoughts on various frameworks for thinking, such as the 7S Model and The 4 P Marketing Model. Shortly after I posted it, Dave, an associate of mine, asked me "how can you think creatively if you are using  business models that were developed in the last century?" It was a very good question; one that I think the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker has started to shed some light on - See, I told you I would bring it back.

 I believe these frameworks are proving the test of time as tools for thinking, particularly in a business setting; where the secret to "creative problem solving" lies is with how you look at the various components of the framework - "How you see". As an example... with "The Lemonade Stand Model", the broadest of the frameworks, we know that the customer is something of great importance. We look at the customer, spend time understanding them, determine ways to know them and ways to see them. We try to put ourselves into a position where we can say, "Oh, now I see it". It's all about how you see within the framework - "Seeing it" leads to understanding and creative solutions.

So now the obvious question is how do you see something that you can't quite see at the moment? Well, like that person in the woods you get someone to help you (either literally of figuratively). Some thoughts come to mind...

• Put yourself in circumstances where you are outside "your bubble"* - Do something you don't know how to do, meet people you would never meet and literally go see things you normally don't see. This is why I will never travel to an all-inclusive resort again.
• Read biographies, history and comic books. 
• Search out experts in fields and disciplines that you have no interest in or would never have thought of. I personally like Chase Jarvis Live as he has guests I would never have exposure to or gain insight from. I have attached an interview with Jasmine Star a famous wedding photographer. Chase Jarvis Live is long format, which means it's lengthy and informative in a way that isn't "sound bites" or simplistic overviews. Sometimes seeing takes a little time.
• Befriend people who don't think like you, live like you or vote the same way as you do.

As you can see from the title, this is something I am exploring and will continue to explore "in as many parts as it takes".

Let me know what you think, so I may see a little better.

Thanks,

gpe

* "Your bubble" in this context refers to your life... the more protected, controlled or isolated it is, the smaller your bubble. 

Execution... the second in a series of thoughts.

Lying on a table, in a room of a secret government installation, is an envelope (yes, it is 1000 feet underground). Inside that envelope, written by a steady hand, are three words. These three words when used together are the foundation for effective execution; in fact, without them you are more or less destined to struggle to get things done. For the sake of moving this along, let us say I commissioned the help of an Archer type espionage agent to break in and secure the envelope for us. 

Before we get to those three words I should say sorry* as I bet you were hoping for a nice, neat, reproducible process to optimize your execution. Not yet unfortunately, as we have to start with a foundation to build from. And now for those three words you have been waiting for - "Ownership, Leadership, and The Straw-man" (Ok, technically five words). Worth the wait and hiring a secret agent for don't you think? Given their importance we should look at them: 

OWNERSHIP (very important)  - Defined as the act, state, or right of possessing something. With regard to optimizing execution, identifying an owner is imperative, and I have to stress this, there can only be one. The committee, is the death of effective execution. A single owner, this is key! A single owner:

• Clarifies who is responsible for the expected result(s). Use an actual name. There may not be an "i" in Team but there sure is an "i" in Optimized Execution.

• Optimizes communications with regards to a single voice involving progress, issues and the "go to person" for answers.

• Establishes a champion for teams and resources to rally behind.

• Reduces agendas to one.

• Establishes the owner of the "czar card".**

LEADERSHIP  (table stakes important) - There are a litany of leadership definitions and volumes on the subject, so let's work with this definition for the sake of argument. Leadership has been described as "a process of social influence in which a person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task". A couple of comments with regard to effective execution:

• It is imperative that a leader picks the appropriate "Owner"; aligning the task with the needed skill sets and maturity. If you don't have trust*** in the person, don't give them ownership.

• The Leader should clarify the most effective way to manage up to them when issues and roadblocks need to be addressed.

• If the leader has a propensity to micromanage please just stop it; it is annoying and a big waster of time. See trust above.

• The owner needs to be very good at leading without a title, as more often than not they will be moving up, down and laterally through the organization. The book The leader who had no title by Robin Sharma is a must read.

THE STRAW-MAN or Straw-man proposal (Most important) - A straw-man proposal is a "brain stormed" simple draft proposal intended to generate discussion and leadership approval . Here is why this is so important, particularly early on in the process:

• Best developed by the Owner with a small group (i.e. one other person), used as a sounding board to pressure test the proposal. Experience has shown me PowerPoint is a good communication vehicle where you should use strong action statements and high level process maps, as well as foreseeable challenges, resource requirements and timeframes. **** (work to present this within the first week... the sleepless nights are worth it down the road)

• Review the straw-man with the Leader, key stakeholders and anyone you feel may be a resource down the road (in the same room). The objective of this meeting is to review your thinking, so everyone in the room will "sorta remember the meeting" three weeks later. Have any red flags called out for discussion and most importantly have the leader confirm that "directionally" he or she is comfortable with it, and by extension support the detail of the execution.

• It defines the scope and latitude in which the "owner" can operate and where he or she can have to go within the organization to get it done - Gives the owner the answer when someone asks "why are you at this meeting?"

• It becomes the primary communication tool to inform, identify resources needed, re-enforce directional frame work and prevent scope creep (which is another execution killer).

This triad of Ownership, Leadership and The Straw-Man is imperative for effective execution, particularly if the organization is large, where even the simplest act of communication can be a challenge - Let alone working through multiple agendas and business perspectives. I would never suggest this as a silver bullet but I will say it has allowed me to be effective more often than not.

And if it's just you, the discussions are very easy between the Leader and the Owner but I still suggest you use THE STRAW-MAN as you will get your plan down on paper... and we know how important that is. 

gpe.

PS: next time we will talk about the fun that can be had with process maps.

* I'm Canadian so we always say sorry; more often than not though, it is analogous to the word "um" and not an actual apology.

**  A leader I very much admired introduced me to the czar trump card a long time ago . There was a long ongoing discussion where he stepped in and finally said "I rarely exercise the czar card but I am going to throw it and we are going to do it this way...". He was the owner after all and was responsible in the end. For those who don't play cards, a trump card wins over all other cards.

*** The definition of trust is belief that someone or something is reliable, good, honest, effective, etc. 

**** I will admit I am partial to PowerPoint and have made thousands of presentations; I recommend it for a number of reasons 1) lends itself very well to presenting, which you will have to do anyway 2) forces you to be crisp and concise whereas with Word you end up with a white paper and 3) as the project continues the presentations can build upon themselves saving you time.  

A tribute to Billy B...

I heard a song on the radio the other day and I was instantly reminded of Billy B*, as well as a time that was so professionally and personally fun. A while back, when business was flush with opportunity, daring, well run and not so burdened by the administrative and operating mechanisms that are prevalent in much of today's business frame work (a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away** it could be said), there was Billy B who was a part of this fabric; in sales administration and a jack of trades, he was indispensable to a small sales organization and I worked closely with him to deploy marketing initiatives through the sales channel. This is how I got to know him.

This story begins in a hospitality suite*** which, if you are familiar with them, is an oasis at the end of a long day... more often than not offering adult refreshments. It is here that one night Billy B stands up and starts to sing one of the most classic rock & roll songs ever written**** with great gusto, talent and engagement; so much so that his small audience is mesmerized. The next day saw us back to our world of sales and marketing.

Our next sales meeting inevitably led to the hospitality suite, where there were a few more people and of course memories of the previous meeting. This in turn led to Billy B serenading the group with song and great fun; it was here that someone suggested they would bring a guitar for next time (i). The next couple of years passed growing the business, the sales team and the hospitality suite - It was Billy B, two guitarists and someone on percussion using a table and every person who was attending the meeting (ii).

And then it happened, word came down that our next meeting would be a North American event and the hospitality suite would go international. This meeting was bigger and after all the activities there was the comfort of the hospitality suite, Billy B, the music and a slightly bigger crowd than in the past. The word of Billy B had started to spread. 

With the business growing rapidly there came a couple of watershed moments; the hospitality suite closed its doors to make way for a larger, more formal Sales Banquet and the band playing one time let Billy B and a couple of his "musicians" take the stage (it was at the end of the night and they didn't seem to have any issues). With most of the room empty by that time, Billy B started to sing, cheered on by his die-hard supporters (iii). Over the next four or five years the crowds got bigger at the end of the banquets, the participation greater and always, I mean always, Billy B would grace the stage engaging the crowd with his signature song. By the end, Billy B (in full costume with a full back up band) had 400 people dancing and singing along with him (iv). 

Change, that only true constant, found the business needs move in a new direction, as is the way with a sizeable merger and acquisition. With this, Billy B never had the opportunity to sing again... deep down though, he was all right with it as I can remember him saying "it's time for someone else to take the reins". No one ever did...we had moved past those times into new ones (v).

There is great nostalgia with writing this but it also struck me this is a wonderful illustration of a product life cycle, and if you want to get philosophical, how life works. Before anyone gets disheartened here, do remember that maturity can be extended through line extenders or continued refinement to stay relevant. More importantly, and never forget this... you can always just redevelop yourself and start the curve all over again. That is where the real fun and excitement is.

Billy B is retired now and I hope he is still singing.

gpe

Footnotes

• (i) Product development, viability and understanding market need.
• (ii) Product introduction, engagement with early adopters and an opportunity do optimize marketing message.
• (iii) Product growth and a time of great excitement.
• (iv) Product maturity and the height of opportunity.
• (v) Product decline due to changing markets, competition and substitutes. 

* I have changed Billy B's name a little but anyone who was there will know whom I am referring to and I expect they are smiling. 

** I am very excited about the next instalment of Star Wars: The Force Awakens

*** The hospitality suite is where the sales force would gather after the day's activities to meet, network, have drinks and bond - More often than not a hotel suite.

**** The song is Satisfaction by the Rolling Stones. As I look back at this, there is know doubt it was the perfect anthem for the sales force. See lyrics below

Satisfaction Lyrics

I can't get no satisfaction
I can't get no satisfaction
'Cause I try and I try and I try and I try
I can't get no, I can't get no

When I'm driving in my car
And the man comes on the radio
He's tellin' me more and more
About some useless information
Supposed to drive my imagination

I can't get no, oh no, no, no
A hey, hey, hey, that's what I say

I can't get no satisfaction
I can't get no satisfaction
'Cause I try and I try and I try and I try
I can't get no, I can't get no

When I'm watchin' my TV
And a man comes on and tells me
How white my shirts can be
But he can't be a man 'cause he doesn't smoke
The same cigarettes as me

I can't get no, oh no, no, no
A hey, hey, hey, that's what I say

I can't get no satisfaction
I can't get no girl reaction
'Cause I try and I try and I try and I try
I can't get no, I can't get no

When I'm ridin' round the world
And I'm doin' this and I'm signing that
And I'm tryin' to make some girl
Who tells me baby better come back maybe next week
'Cause you see I'm on losing streak

I can't get no, oh no, no, no
A hey, hey, hey, that's what I say

I can't get no, I can't get no
I can't get no satisfaction, no satisfaction
No satisfaction, no satisfaction
I can't get no

Songwriters
Keith Richards;Mick Jagger