By: Anna H. Surratt
“Turn left to go right!” Parents of young children will recognize the famous quote from Doc in the Disney movie Cars. As the young, hot-headed Lightning McQueen struggles to master the curves on a dusty race track, Doc repeatedly reminds him, “turn left to go right.” The idea is counterintuitive, especially to a seasoned racecar who made a living by turning right to go right. Doc’s point is one that we can all learn from: sometimes what we have always done isn’t what needs to be done and takes us further from our intended destination. This is especially true for leaders of change.
The Challenge with Traditional Problem Solving
For the last 11 years of my career in education, I have consulted with schools grappling with some of the most sincere and valiant efforts toward transformational change. The adaptive problems they aim to tackle involve value systems, attitudes, competencies, beliefs, loyalties, identities, and coordinated efforts of multiple people. One thing I found true in almost every context – the commitment to make things better often moves teams quickly from problem identification to solution generation.
As the problem-solving process plays out, teams see a problem, identify and apply a solution, and expect that the problem will be fixed, or at least better than it was. Unfortunately, the teams often find that one or more of three things happens: (1) the problem is “fixed” for a short time but resurfaces later, (2) the problem frustratingly persists, or (3) in some cases, the problem worsens.
Turn Left to Go Right, or Slow Down to Speed Up
So, what’s happening here? I propose that the swift movement between problem identification and solution generation overlooks the most critical steps in the problem-solving process, namely diagnosis of the actual problem. This is exactly where Doc’s wisdom steps in to remind us, “Turn left to go right,” or even more specifically to leaders of change, “Slow down to speed up.” In order for a solution to have impact on the challenge at hand, the solution must address the actual problem, and we need to slow down to accurately identify the problem.
The Call to Listen
How do we do this? Scripture offers the key. Think about the implication of Israel being called to listen first (“Hear, O Israel…”). From the very beginning, God is sharing something with us about His character, and a way in which we can reflect His character to others – even down to our response when leading change initiatives. He is a God who listens and calls us to listen.
Adaptive problems persist when quick solutions are applied because we miss the call to listen and empathize with the people involved. So, we must slow down and identify who the key players are in the problem. Learn about their experiences, values, attitudes, beliefs, identities, concerns, and hopes. Just listen. Listen without judgment. Listen free of the need to respond or to justify any preconceived ideas around what we think the problem or solution might be. Pay attention to what their body language, behavior, and tone communicate. Schedule a coffee with key player or lunch break with a group of the key players and create the space for these people to share their stories.The following stems will get you started:
- Tell me about your experience with…
- What is your greatest hope when you think about…
- What is your greatest concern about…
- Tell me about a time during which you felt…
Accurate Diagnosis
After hearing from key players, spend some time together with your leadership team reviewing the stories shared and reflecting on the underlying needs and desires that emerge. Often, many needs and desires emerge. It may be beneficial to ask yourself which of the needs, if met, would move us closer to our desired state. Framing your insights as a statement of needs helps better define the actual challenge you are trying to solve. For example, “Our teachers need___ because ___.” Or, “Our staff need ___ but ___.” The Interaction Design Foundation offers several free resources to support diagnosis, including empathy maps to help synthesize what you hear into a diagnosable need.
Freedom Through Counterintuition
Intuitively, we make assumptions about root cause, reasons for a problem, and possible solutions. Slowing down and empathizing leads us down a path that might be counterintuitive, but frees us from assumptions that hold us captive to the status quo. Slowing down to see the problem through the eyes of those involved widens our perspective of the people and dynamics shaping the problem. Ultimately, this critical step will speed up the trajectory of change by giving you the information you need to more accurately diagnose the problem; you can then better design a solution aligned to the needs communicated by those to whom you listened.