Three ways leaders can support teams through complex problems.
Working as a team through a complex problem can be very challenging and even divisive. Team members can spend wasted time and energy spinning their wheels trying to figure out how to work together as effectively as possible.
Leaders often feel overwhelmed and uncertain by the ineffective teamwork that occurs with complex problems. Team members may feel disorganized, confused, and frustrated with one another.
But how do we get the team to work as one through a complex problem? In today’s clip, we have Fred Krawchuk, the CEO of Pathfinder Consulting Group.
As a business consultant who works to develop collaborative and productive team cultures, I am always looking to learn and grow. I’ve read Fred’s work on Multistakeholder Collaboration and he has incredible wisdom around working with teams through tough challenges.
In this clip, Fred will share three ways leaders can support a team to move through a complex problem
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Transcription
Another way to think about what we're talking about here is like given any come challenge that a company or team or anyone listening has like getting real clear. The problem that you're perceiving is there a real need is it urgent is an important, you know. I like to always ask people what's keeping your key leaders up at night so that you know that you're tackling something that really people care about it's not some science project that very few people are interested in now, it's a real need. This is a juicy problem worth It's worth tackling because you got leaders, stakeholders who care about it.
So we got we've identified a clear need right challenge or opportunity and there's got to be resources available to tackle that and whether that's in the budget a team is allocated to this, senior leaders care about it.
So there's got to be something there or you know, you get creative and you know certain or you know, it's if it's a multi-stakeholder thing different people bring different resources to the table. And again that could be time, money, expertise, a place to meet Etc. So getting clearer and creative about the resources.
Then the other piece I call it back bone. Yeah, you've got to have, you know senior leaders that are you've got to finally I think and especially an organizational setting who is the senior Champion that cares about this that's going to put skin in the game. Put their credibility on the line that's going to help convene people bring people together as well as the people are going to work day to day. They've got I like to say collaborative problem-solving is not a spectator sport. You got to roll up your sleeves.
You gotta have that senior leader that cares about it and then the project leader or team leader, whoever, you know, they've got to want to win they got a want to work it. I think those you know those three things I think are probably at least as I've seen whether it's a military project the business project the philanthropy, you know, having clear needs articulating the right resources and team aligned on it and backbone.