4P Troubleshooting Undesirable Outcomes

When you are not getting the results you expect, start your troubleshooting process by looking at the People, Principles, Process, and Practice.

D. Brown Management Profile Picture
Share

Question first whether the Expected Outcomes qualify as S.M.A.R.T. and especially if they are still the most relevant at this point in your growth cycle.  

Leadership Tools: 4Ps of Troubleshooting Undesirable Outcomes.
  • Principles: “As to methods, there may be a million and then some, but principles are few. The man who grasps principles can successfully select his own methods. The man who tries methods, ignoring principles, is sure to have trouble.” - Harrington Emerson  

  • Process: Do the processes, tools, and training support the strategies and principles, while leading toward the expected outcomes with minimal waste? Will they yield consistent outcomes without over-burdening the team? 
     
  • Practice: Are the processes, including each step and hand-offs, practiced deliberately with feedback for each cycle to ensure consistent outcomes?   

As you are troubleshooting, ask yourself constantly whether the problem is about knowing or doing, while reconciling and aligning what is in your control.




Racing, Equipment, Heart Rates, and Contractor Growth
The fastest marathon runner used shoes costing $300 and is 2X as fast as an intermediate runner. The fastest 100-mile bicycle time is about 2.5X faster than the fastest marathon runner, going nearly 4X as far. Contractor and career growth is similar.
Cash Flow Tip 8 - Subcontractor and Vendor Terms and Pay Schedules
As important as it is for you to have a great Schedule-of-Values (SOV) with your customer, it is equally important to have great terms with your subs and vendors.
Identifying and Eliminating Your #1 Bottleneck
Identify then eliminate your #1 bottleneck. This seems so incredibly obvious and simple but in reality it is very difficult to do for all but the smallest and simplest of contractors. Let’s dive into this a little.