Rafael chuckled. “Alright, so the first step is to identify the problem. When my team asks for help, instead of me, giving the answer, I should ask them to clearly describe the problem.”

I was trying to stay out of the way, trying not to lead the witness. “Yes?”

“And the second step,” Rafael continued. “The second step, but the problem is, sometimes you can’t go to the second step. Because sometimes, the problem isn’t the problem. I mean, sometimes, the problem is only a symptom. You have to figure out what is causing the problem. That’s the key, the cause of the problem.”

“Write that down. What is the cause of the problem?”

“Once you have the cause of the problem, then it gets easy. There are usually a half dozen ways to fix the cause of the problem, you just pick the best one.”

“Let me get this down,” I said.

• Identify the problem?
• Identify the cause of the problem?
• Identify alternative solutions?
• Pick the best solution?

Rafael now has a genuine and helpful response for his team. Using these four steps, he can influence the process the team uses to solve problems. This process is easy to remember and very teachable. And if consistently used, the team will, over time, solve their current problems and exchange them for more and more complex problems. This process is one of two powerful coaching methods we will use next week in Coaching – Bringing Value as a Manager in Working Leadership Online.

“Watch what my mind thinks?” Rafael mused. “Okay, how do we do that?”

“What’s the purpose here?” I asked. “If we know the purpose, we can figure out what we need to do.”

“Well, the purpose is to create a different response, I can make, when my team asks me to solve a problem. The response has to be helpful, like a coach. You want me to step through how I would solve a problem and then teach it to them,” Rafael stopped, and smiled.

“As we do this, would it be helpful to write it down, so we don’t forget,” I prompted.

“We could do that,” Rafael replied.

“Okay, what’s the first step?”

“Well, first I have to know what the problem is.”

“Good, write that down.”

“No, I mean, before I know what the first step is, I have to know what the problem is.”

I didn’t say a word, just raised my eyebrows. I watched as Rafael arrived at the first step. Identify the problem. There is a coaching point here. I could have told Rafael the first step, but that would play into the same dilemma he was having with his team. The coaching point is NOT to tell people what to do, but to ask questions, to move them to their own conclusions. This is the same process we use in Working Leadership, only there, you get to talk back to me.

“What is the new response? When my team lands the problem on my desk, what is my new response?” Rafael asked.

“First, your response cannot be to give them the solution. That’s what has created this dependency in the first place,” I replied. “But you cannot leave them twisting in the wind. Your response has to be helpful.”

“What, do I give them hints, start a little guessing game?”

“Hardly, we need to create something solid, that you can consistently use, as a coaching tool. Tell me, Rafael, how do you solve problems?”

Rafael stopped. His eyes glanced at the ceiling. “I don’t know, I guess it depends on the problem. Sometimes, I just know the answer.”

“How do you know the answer?” I pushed.

“I don’t know, experience I guess, it just comes to me.”

“You think it just comes to you, but even if it seems instantaneous, your mind goes through a process to solve the problem. All we have to do is slow your mind down and watch what it thinks.”

You may wonder where the stories for this blog come from. They come from you. But the stories in the blog are only one-sided, you miss the rich discussion attached to the real conversations. We created Working Leadership Online for you to specifically explore your management reality.

Next week, July 6, we kick off our Summer Coaching Series. I would love to see you online. You can find out more by following this link.
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“It’s not the end of the world,” I said. “You have trained your team to let you solve every problem. And it will take time, but you can reverse the damage.”

Rafael smiled. “I am glad to know it’s not fatal. But how do I pull this off. They are still going to bring me their problems, I don’t see how I can stop that. And there are many problems they cannot solve. The team will still need me. I don’t see how I can get out of this spiral.”

“Don’t worry. It’s not as bad as tough love, though it will seem like it in the beginning. Your team will still bring their problems for you to solve, you just have to create a different response. A different response that is helpful. Your beginning, as a coach.”

“So, what is the new response?” Rafael asked.

“You trained your team not to solve problems,” I stated flatly.

Rafael pushed against the table. There was a little teeny tiny vein in his forehead that was beginning to show. “By giving them the answer, I was training them not to solve problems? Ridiculous!”

“Say that again.”

“What? By giving them the answer, I was training them not to solve problems?” Rafael loosened his grip on the table. His head slowly moved from side to side. “So, it was me after all.”
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I would like to thank Jim Heller and his two TEC groups in Milwaukee for their kind hospitality last week as we explored the research of Elliott Jaques and his findings on Time Span. Elliott Jaques – Part II, is now available.

On July 6, Working Leadership Online begins its Summer Coaching Series. Here is the curriculum.

This nine week series is based on the research of Elliott Jaques and his findings on Time Span. Each participant who registers for the series will receive a complimentary copy of Catalytic Coaching, by Gary Markle. Register here.
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“What do you mean?” Rafael leaned forward. “If our customer has a problem, what am I supposed to do, ignore it?”

“You know better than that. You know the problem has to get fixed, but why do you think your guys, faced with a customer problem, always run to you for the answer?” I pushed the ball back in Rafael’s court.

“Well, it’s because I have a couple of decades of experience at this,” floated Rafael.

“No, try again,” I insisted. “Why does your team, faced with a problem, turn to you instead of solving it themselves?”

Rafael stopped. “This is a trick question, isn’t it?”

I raised my eyebrow.