The reality show Master Chef Australia, a ratings success, takes amateur chefs and teaches them new techniques and skills, demonstrating what can be achieved with a little training and the right recipe.
If like me you have achieved some really major failures in the kitchen, (think scones that are interchangeable for cricket balls), you would appreciate a no-fail recipe, and why should your business success be any different.
All successful strategies provide a recipe to follow within your business for problem solving, allowing you to carefully examine, document and investigate various alternative solutions to achieve the best results.
As with successful recipes, preparation is important. So here are three simple points to get you started on your way to becoming a Master Problem Solver:
1. If the stove is faulty, the chef has no way to cook the steak.
Problem solving experts concentrate on the process, the actual problem, and refrain from blaming the people involved.
2. The ice cream machine will not produce soft, creamy ice cream if the main kitchen power has failed.
Finding the point of occurrence or cause of the problem ensures you find a solution to the root cause.
3. Upon discovering that a particular vegetable is unavailable, a good chef will look for other options and rewrite the menu to focus on whatever else is tasty, bountiful and in season.
During the planning stages, think of as many different possible solutions to the root cause as you can. This gives you a variety of options to investigate.
Belinda Cook is the owner of Success Strategy Series, which offers eBooks on simple, easy-to-use strategies, encouraging continual improvement. A complete problem solving strategy with simple and easy to follow action steps can be found at www.strategyseries.com.au
Photo: Sara Björk
