Problem-Solving Success Tip: Look For Sponsors And Solution Owners

Look for sponsors and solution owners rather than problem owners.

Everyone participating in the situation owns the problem, like it or not-and nobody likes it. However, if one person is designated as the problem owner, that gives everyone else involved implicit permission to step away and essentially pretend that they don't have an ownership role in the problem. In other words, appointing a problem owner gets in the way of solving a problem.

A much better term for what is usually expected of the "problem owner" is "sponsor." A sponsor is the person who champions the problem-solving project by assuring awareness of the importance of the project, allocating resources, removing obstacles, etc. The words are important. Having a sponsor gets support for the problem-solving project without removing (or appearing to remove) responsibility for solving it.

Another difficulty with the term "problem owner" is that it has a blame connotation. A typical corollary to discussing who owns the problem is discussing whose fault it is. This is totally counterproductive to solving the problem. People get angry, and these discussions often deteriorate into finger-pointing rather than focusing on the root causes of the problem and what can be done to address them. "Solution owners" are people who are in a position to do something constructive about eliminating root causes of the problem. Helping with a solution is much more fun than being blamed for a problem, so you're more likely to get the response you need.

The terms you use are important. Avoid the not-my-problem trap by getting sponsors. Avoid the finger-pointing trap by finding solution owners.

Copyright 2005. Jeanne Sawyer. All Rights Reserved.

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. Find out about it, and get more free information on problem-solving at her web site: http://www.sawyerpartnership.com/.

---

How To Get 10% More Work Out Of Your Employees

It is getting harder to run a business for a... Read More

Implementation the Catalyst of Change for Management to Reach that Next Level of Success

From the personal and professional experiences of other colleagues and... Read More

Turbo Charge Your Career With The Most Powerful Leadership Tool Of All: The Leadership Talk Part 3

To develop and deliver a great Leadership Talk, you must... Read More

Gossip And Rumors And Hearsay, Oh Why?

In the Wizard of Oz, it was "Lions and tigers... Read More

Problem-Solving Success Tip: Dont Leave Your Key Stakeholders Guessing

Communicate! Don't leave you key stakeholders guessing.We are generally not... Read More

Make the Most of Your Time - Focus on Strengths

Once working and focused in tune with what they do... Read More

Unveiling the Value of Your Expertise

All of us have knowledge, expertise, and experience that others... Read More

How to Fire an Employee

One of the most difficult tasks you will face as... Read More

Manufacturing Capacity as a Commodity

Excess capacity in an automobile plant at Ford, Chrysler, Toyota,... Read More

The Ivory Tower Syndrome

"His cardinal mistake is that he isolates himself, and allows... Read More

Just The Facts

Attitudes are more important than facts. Dr. Karl Menninger... Read More

Performance Appraisal Scenarios: Improve Your Communication

IMPROVING COMMUNICATION DURING THE PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL: If the employee has... Read More

Why Businesses Fail - And What You Can Do About It!

Have you unintentionally set your business up for failure?No one... Read More

Project Management 101

Project management is a very important business concept because it... Read More

Project Management - I Want It ALL

The knee-jerk response to prioritizing requirements is to mark everything... Read More

5 Tips For Creating Great Jobs

1) Create A Powerful "Mission Statement"-When your business mission is... Read More

Do Customers Like the Feel of Your Organization?

In two recent articles "Some Evidence of How We Are... Read More

The Thick Line Between Buddy and Boss

Q: One of my key employees is giving me trouble.... Read More

Using Employee Opinions Effectively When Designing HR Programs

Using Employee Opinions Effectively When Designing HR ProgramsEmployee opinion is... Read More

Using Outlook to Count Responses

Here's a productivity tip that will save you a lot... Read More

The Diamond Cutter

Geshe Michael Roach is a Princeton graduate and a Buddhist... Read More

The Professor Makes A Minus Power Move

If you think the power move has costs, consider the... Read More

The Few & the Many: Free Trade, Outsourcing, & Communication

Have you noticed that some sound ideas get bad publicity?... Read More

What Every Manager Should Know About How to Overcome Boredom

Do you find yourself easily becoming bored or tired at... Read More

Is Busyness Affecting Your Business?

I'm too busy; I'd love to but I'm very busy;... Read More

A Facilitators Guide to Running a Stakeholder Analysis Workshop

This facilitator's guide to running a stakeholder analysis workshop is... Read More

Involving People Gave Us the Improvements We Needed

We had a problem with handling materials in a production... Read More

How To Hire Superstars

Can a person's behavior and values really determine if they... Read More

Loyalty, Motivation And Work-Life Balance

Managers who aren't loyal to their people can't expect loyalty... Read More

Understanding Every Aspect of Your Organization

GET TO KNOW YOUR ORGANIZATION: If you don't understand an... Read More

Whadda Jerk!

If one does not understand a person, one tends to... Read More

Plans & Goal Setting - Kicking winning Goals

Kicking Winning Business Goals The competition for business... Read More

Developing Your Mission

"The best Leader is one who knows how to pick... Read More