find the most likely factor(s) is to facilitate root cause analysis. It is so much
easier to fix a problem when you truly know the root cause(s). So many lead-
ers still opt for the trial-and-error method of problem solving, which often
results in fixing just a symptom. Symptoms are like weeds: not getting them
out at the root means the problem will reoccur.
I once had a leader tell a conference room full of managers that "done
is better than right." He truly believed that we needed to prioritize speed of
solution over accuracy and circle back to fix whatever didn't work. Really?
If we don't have time to do it right, when will we ever find the time to do it
again? This mindset only works if you have lots of time and money to waste
and the risk is minimal. I've never worked in that type of environment.
When you reach the Improve phase of DMAIC, you are ready to generate
solutions to the problem. Albert Einstein once said, "The significant prob-
lems we have cannot be solved at the same level of thinking with which we
created them." This is where critical thinking techniques come in.
We need to shift our thinking with variations of brainstorming, such as
Random Word, Morphological Box, or Reverse Thinking. These are all tech-
niques designed to see a problem through a fresh perspective. One of my
favorites is Reverse Thinking. This is where a team of individuals spends a
set amount of time (usually 10 minutes) discussing how the problem could
get worse before allowing their minds to identify solutions. This technique
creates a shift in thinking away from those top-of-mind solutions that Ein-
stein speaks about. You'll be surprised at how this opens your mind to new
thinking and generates better, more thorough solutions.
The last phase of DMAIC is the Control phase, and it primarily deals
with change management. As it turns out, we humans aren't too good with
change. We might want it in theory, but our habits get in the way. This phase
deals with some necessary steps to sustain the gains made by solving a
problem. Without this phase, many of the problems return, thanks to the
tendency of those who need to sustain the solution reverting to what they
have done before.
A wise man named Theodore Roosevelt once said, "In any moment of
decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is
the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing." Problem solv-
ers need the confidence that comes with a mindset and toolset that helps
identify the right thing to do. Organizations need problem solvers that know
how to find that right thing and implement it. Improvement opportunities
are everywhere in healthcare. You just need to train employees how to find
them without ever pointing a finger at anyone.
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M I N D S E T A N D T O O L S E T S F O R P R O B L E M - S O L V I N G I N H E A L T H C A R E
In any moment
of decision, the
best thing you
can do is the right
thing, the next best
thing is the wrong
thing, and the worst
thing you can do
is nothing.
Theodore Roosevelt
