Managing problems

Business managers come across a variety of different problems. Learning how to find solutions to the various problems can be overwhelming at times, but with patience and dedication you can learn how to bust through any brick wall that stands in your place. Here are some simple steps to follow that will help you get you on the fast track to managing problems:

Step # 1 - Identify the problem
The first step you need to take is to learn how to identify the problems that exist. This is the most critical step as you need to take the time to evaluate the different stages in the company where problems are occurring.Talking to your employees to find out if they are having challenges is a great way to find out if there are problems that exist within the company. Once you know where the problems are, you can then take steps toward fixing them. Keep the description of the problems short and simple. When you ask employees what types of problems they see, most of them will give a detailed description of them. Keeping them short is the best thing you can do in order to quickly solve them.

Step # 2 - What is causing problems
Just identifying problems isn't going to be enough; you also need to research the problem to its full extent to find out what is truly causing the problem. It is common to make a quick assumption of what the problem is and then jump to conclusions about solving them without truly researching the problem to find out what the root cause is. When you spend time actually looking into the root of the problem, you can come up with solutions that will fix it for the long haul, not just a short-term solution.

Step # 3 - List solutions
Once a problem has been identified, you need to make a list of all the solutions for it. Do not just write up one solution because it may not be the best solution. We are often quick to jump to solutions and then pick the first one that comes to mind instead of considering all the possible solutions. When you take time to actually write out a list, you will have several different things to brainstorm and test to see if they are truly effective.

Step # 4 - Brainstorm with others
Just because you have a list of solutions doesn't mean you have solved the problem. Talk to other managers about the problem and the solutions you have come up with. A good brainstorming session is a simple way to make sure you have chosen the best possible solution out there.

Step # 5 - Develop a plan
Now that you have gone through the list of all the solutions to solve your problem, it is time to develop a plan to implement so the problem will become history. Hold a staff meeting to introduce your solution to your staff and then talk about your plan of action. You need to make sure everyone is completely supportive of your plan in order for it to work effectively and to stop any future problems from occurring.

Tip # 6 - Stick to it
Once you have a plan and it has been implemented, you need to stick to your guns. If you second-guess your decisions, your employees will second guess them as well and you can easily lose the trust and respect that has taken so long for you to build. Solving problems isn't going to happen overnight and it can take some time before you will see results from it.