Navigating Challenges: Unleashing the Power of Effective Problem-Solving in Retail Leadership
Unlocking the Key Steps and Mindset for Successful Problem-Solving in the Retail Industry
Ever hear anyone say they need better problem-solving skills? Maybe someone has even said it to you. At first, I think most of us would react with, “I solve things all the time. I am a retail leader, all I do is solve other people’s problems” (especially if you’re an operator). There is more to problem-solving than there may seem on the surface. And that is what can set true retail leaders apart from others, and even define managers from leaders. Leaders are always willing to attack challenges head on, and look for meaningful, lasting solutions. Managers can band-aid a situation. Leaders solve the future.
Narrowing down what problem-solving really is can be difficult. It is largely situational when you think of the specifics. However, problem-solving is also a process. Research indicates four core steps to the problem-solving thought process: Anticipating, Analyzing, Diagnosing, Resolving.
“In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity.” — Albert Einstein
Anticipating
Staying aware of your situation and environment is critical. Keeping your eyes looking up and forward allows you to see potential obstacles on the horizon. Finding options for those ahead of time increases the likelihood of moving past them quickly, sometimes seamlessly, to others around you.
Analyzing
Having a full understanding of the data that suggests you have a problem is an early step in acknowledging and identifying the issue at hand. During this step, you are gathering more information to fully grasp what is happening and the impact it is creating.
Diagnosing
Interpreting the findings and information you have now leads to connecting the problem with potential solutions. This is also the ‘deciding’ step. What do you believe will be the right solution for the problem you are experiencing? The result is your plan to move past the challenge you are facing.
Resolving
This final step is putting the solution into place. An implementation of sorts. Within this, you are still cycling through each of the steps. Depending on how big the problem is, this can feel small, or it can require significant data gathering and observation to determine if you have solved the root of the problem.
This basic approach applies to problem-solving for items large and small. Like many things, it is as much about the mindset you have for approaching conflict versus the actual steps you take. Problem-solving is also change management in action. It requires a growth mindset; someone willing to continually test the status quo.
“The problem is not the problem. The problem is your attitude about the problem.” — Captain Jack Sparrow (Pirates of the Caribbean)
Strengthening your problem-solving skills
What actions can you take if you want to continue to hone your abilities on problem-solving for yourself, your team, and even broader groups? There are some places you can start to establish as foundations and practice on difficulties you face, large and small.
Take a process-driven approach as described above. This can become formulaic to help you identify a problem, understand the issue, gather data and interpret it for a solution, then test your solution for your situation.
Embrace the data you have for use in solving your challenge. It can be easy to overlook, out of disbelief or not wanting to admit it may be true. This is where many leaders get lost in problem-solving. Uncovering information can point to decisions you’ve made as not having the intended consequences. Check your ego and value the data you have. You’ll be much better off acknowledging something that is going sideways (early) and finding a solution, than trying to protect your initiation direction.
Ensure you have an environment where information and feedback flow easily. You need an open, honest, trust driven culture to be at your best in problem-solving. No leader has to solve for every (or any) problem on their own. No one can see them all, either. Embrace a team approach for your ongoing problem-solving process.
Continuous improvement needs to be a component of your everyday mindset. What else can improve situations or processes? How could you improve things if we took a different approach? See the step above to find out how you can have that flowing to you, rather than trying to figure it out on your own.
“Every problem is a gift – without problems, we would not grow.” — Anthony Robbins
There is a learning element that must be applied to problem-solving as well. What do you take away from each problem solved? How does that help you for the future. I like this quote as well from John Foster Dulles:
"The measure of success is not whether you have a tough problem to deal with, but whether it is the same problem you had last year." — John Foster Dulles
No one has time to solve the same problems twice. Getting to the root cause has to be the goal of any problem-solving exercise to ensure you are addressing what is really creating the outcomes you are experiencing. Now you have a time management solution, as well as a defined process to solving any challenge you face.
How will you continue to develop your problem-solving skills?
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Photo by Volodymyr Hryshchenko on Unsplash