Small Fires and Your Workplace Success
Managing small fires is much easier than dealing with a full-blown blaze. What are your habits for the metaphorical, workplace fire management?
Managers are often in place to solve problems. They’re also in place to execute strategy. Which activity consumes the most of your time?
Fixing a problem sooner, when it is smaller, seems to make sense.
If that is true, why do so many start burning out of control?
Is it a systems problem?
Systems Problem
If there is a system in place, does it help?
When the process starts to slip out of tolerance is it corrected?
Systems are often created to build something. They are also created to prevent something.
Too much production time and not enough preventative maintenance and you may have a break down.
It is true for production machinery and it is true for customer satisfaction, brand reputation, and marketing.
It might also be true for organizational culture and leadership.
Should you fix it before it grows?
Small Fires
How long has the problem been a problem? The longer it goes, often the worse it gets.
Your job likely includes putting out some fires. The smaller the fire the easier it is to manage.
When you put a system in place, you should adhere to the specifications.
If the check engine light comes on, check the engine.
Low tire pressure or low on fuel, resolve it before it becomes a bigger problem.
You should do that for your car. And if you don’t, you’ve probably already had a small fire turn into a blaze.
Small fires are easier to manage and faster to resolve.
That allows you to spend more time with strategy.
-DEG
Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSPTM), and culture expert. He is a five-time author and the founder of Appreciative Strategies, LLC. His business focuses on positive human performance improvement solutions through Appreciative Strategies®. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.
