Ridge Insights - April/May 2008
Getting Beyond the Tip of the Iceberg
Ridge Insights
A monthly e-brief from Ridge Training
Date: May 19, 2008
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What We're Thinking About: Getting Beyond the Tip of the Iceberg
In the hectic pace of our work lives, much of the problem solving we do unfortunately never goes beyond the tip of the iceberg. It's said that 90% of the iceberg lies beneath the water. Similarly, the core elements of the issues we face lies beneath layers of more superficial complications. But since the surface aspects are what we see, we solve them. We rarely dig deep enough to get to the heart of the problem. As a consequence, the problem never really gets resolved satisfactorily. It often returns, requiring more time and energy.
How would you help these people solve their problems?
- "I've always had a good reputation around here, but I keep getting projects dumped in my lap. At this rate I'm not going to be able to meet my deadlines."
- "My mother is in the hospital, my kids are in trouble at school... it's really a struggle to get my hours in at work without feeling like I'm neglecting my family."
- "With this latest reorganization, I'm starting to be wonder if my current skill set is still marketable, if you know what I mean..."
Advice is easy ("Let's put together a timeline..."; "Why don't you ask for a more flexible schedule…"; "The classes at the community college…") and so satisfying in the moment. But it saps time and energy when the real issue lies beneath the surface. Assume that what people say is the tip of the iceberg. You never know what the rest of the iceberg looks like until you listen.
Listening is the secret weapon in problem solving. As with the unlikely hero Clark Kent, this unassuming skill has the X-Ray vision of a super hero, helping you look under the surface of the water to identify core problems. Here's how to be a superhero at work, while saving yourself and other people the wasted time of solving the problem at the tip of the iceberg:
1. Get curious. Refrain from questions, advice, or throwing in your "two cents." Set aside your solutions for now. Pay attention to this person and get curious: what's going on? Allow the person to lay out the situation; don't direct the conversation.
2. Restate your understanding of the situation. After a few minutes, state your understanding of what's been said. This has the feeling of, "Let me make sure I'm following you so far." Keep it brief and keep your opinion out. The other person will continue talking.
3. Keep listening! This requires patience but is well worth it. Listen as the other person talks. What new information do you hear? Listen for core issues to emerge, as if you're peeling an onion and the extraneous information just falls away. Spend 5 minutes or so listening in this way, then summarize your understanding of the situation: "Bottom line, the issue is…" or "You're most concerned about…"
If the person still has a lot of energy for talking, you haven't plumbed the depths of this iceberg. Sometimes naming emotions gets you there quickly: "You feel…" "It seems like you're…"
4. Find the goal.
Once you've stated the core of the problem, and the other person agrees, then try to position it as a goal. Most problems feel heavy, but goals are motivating and set the stage for problem solving that lasts. "You're worried that you're losing focus at work with all your family commitments right now… and your goal is to find a way to stay focused and productive at work while also dealing with these challenges."
Once you've found the nugget of the goal within the problem, the iceberg begins to melt. Your familiar problem solving tools will help you solve the issue, for good this time.
For other tips on using listening as a problem solving tool, you can download our article: "Recognizing Opportunities: Getting Results Through Listening," at http://www.ridge.com/downloads/RecognizeOpportunities.pdf
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Copyright 2008 - Ridge Associates, Inc. - All Rights Reserved.
Copyright 2009 Ridge Associates, Inc. All Rights Reserved.