Build a Better Anything in 4 easy steps.

First allow me to apologize for being offline several weeks, we've had vacation and moved our USG Atlanta offices so I just didn't force myself to post. My bad! Sorry!

On to today's topic: I took a class not too long ago and this post came from much of what I learned in that class. I was thinking and considering what all we discussed during that class with a specific goal in mind and found that the same basic 4 steps will work for almost any situation that you want to accomplish anything.

Here are the 4 steps with a brief explanation for each step.

1. ANALYZE - First look at the situation, decide if you are working with FACTS or EMOTIONS. Then challenge ABSOLUTES, are they really absolute? Confront STUPIDITY, others or my own! Ask: "What am I missing?" "What energizes me?" "What de-energizes me?"

2. SIMPLIFY - Most of us need far less than we think/believe. Examine complicated or complex situations and see how you can change them. What eats up your time? Can you simplify that? What can you back away from without hurting your mission? Learn to say "NO" to many requests.

3. DIVERSIFY - Now write down 3 to 5 SPECIFIC and MEASURABLE, REALISTIC goals or results that you want. Do you have the steps or tools available to accomplish this task? IF not, who or where will you go to get what you need?

4. ACTION - Reduce your strategic plan now into writing. Make it specific. Have someone else read your plan to make sure it is easy to understand and implement. Establish a "PROCESS" that is able to take care of itself without you investing so much time "DOING" the plan, your job is to monitor and track the plan. Establish a system of checks and balances so that when the wheels start to come off the track it is quickly and easily discovered and corrected. This will also include a regular review and evaluation so that if you discover a problem you can easily start back at step one and get it handled.

Now this may or may not sound simple to you, but to me it is, and it quickly clarifies my thinking on almost any situation. These 4 easy steps lead me to discover answers fairly quickly, but most importantly they help me accomplish one major item.

TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THINGS AND HOLDING MYSELF ACCOUNTABLE. If I can finish the second half of 2011 doing this well I will feel that this year is a success.

These are my thoughts on problem solving, what works for you?
Steve