A mix of hopes and uncertainties, 2022 will demand deeper “problem solving”

2022 is here, and some important reflections can already be made for the management of companies.

If the year now ending was surrounded by challenges never faced before, 2022 holds out a certain hope and optimism, but still surrounded by uncertainties in the economic, political, social and health fields, given the risk of new variants.

So, if one of the keywords of next year is going to be “uncertainty”, in management this can only mean one thing: strengthening as much as possible the methods and processes that help the company adapt and respond quickly to any difficulty. In other words, reinforcing the problem-solving culture.

It is necessary to understand that “uncertainty” has a good side. If something is uncertain, it is because there are variations, deviations. And the search for the solution to these problems, if carried out correctly, can bring us a series of benefits.

The right processes for solving deviations make us investigate our reality. This can generate a great deal of learning and many discoveries about customers, the market and the business environment. In this way, the bond between people is strengthened, innovation is generated and, certainly, the company becomes better.

Because of the high degree of uncertainty that may lie ahead – and because facing these uncertainties can generate strong learning and continuous improvement –, 2022 will certainly require companies to strengthen their ability to solve problems.

I venture to say that those who do not do this will not only lose competitiveness but will have their very survival threatened.

Of course, it is not easy, but ideally the entire organization should become a problem-solving “machine”, at all levels, areas, positions and functions, from small (and sometimes hidden) challenges to large, visible and complex issues.

If solutions are sought systematically, little by little uncertainties can become certainties. Doubts will turn into answers. And problems, into solutions.

To help in this process, lean management has a series of concepts and practices aimed at revealing and solving deviations.

One example is PDCA, an acronym for the words plan, do, check and act, which translate the scientific method into management, creating a step-by-step approach for seeking the solution to any type of problem.

Another example is the A3 method, also a step-by-step approach that encourages employees to reflect more deeply on the causes of deviations before moving on to execute solutions that are sometimes ineffective.

There are also lean management analytical matrices, which categorize types of problems and help define the most appropriate solutions for each type.

Or the “kaizens”, which can instill an everyday problem-solving mindset in the company.

In short, 2022 promises to be a prototype of what the post-pandemic world may be like. It will reveal old and new problems, bring back unresolved deviations, and reveal issues that have arisen in a new context. In other words, it will be necessary, more than ever, to intensify the problem-solving culture in companies, in everything and in everyone.