Collective Wisdom from the Experts 65
when often they should spend more time using their skills to ask the right
questions to uncover the root problem. If you don’t unmask the real problem,
your attempts to remove it will only swat at the symptoms.
We all are at risk to succumb to this mistake. Recently, I was asked to design
a management development program for a large organization. My immediate
impulse was to rush to address its pain points speedily, by suggesting that we
look at an existing program I own. I knew I could easily adapt it to cure the
issues that were creating so much irritation for my client.
Fortunately, my self-restraint kicked in. I spent an hour talking to the senior
managers about their real challenges. After I stepped back to listen to the busi-
ness problem, not merely the end-user complaints that indicated something
was amiss, I recommended an entirely different solution. It was more suited to
their needs and addressed their core issues.
The next time you are confronted by frustrated users, take a deep breath. Allow
them to vent their dissatisfaction with the surface symptoms they encounter
day-to-day. These irritations are real. Then ask them a series of questions to
get to the underlying, root causes of their frustration. Avoid the temptation
to make them feel better by providing a quick fix. It is in their best interests
for you to make sure you are aiming for the right target before you plan your
project solution trajectory.