🤫 Whisper #12: People, process, or patterns?
What the heart of the problem?
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Whisper #12
What's the heart of the challenge: people, process, or patterns?
When people bring you a messy situation, or when you find yourself in one, it's important to understand the root of the messiness.
I find that the heart of any issue is typically one of these three things:
People: any issues with team members, other departments, managers, customers, clients, or vendors.
Project: challenges with the actual thing to be done.
Patterns: a way that you are getting into your own way and not showing up in the way that best suits the situation.
Let’s call these the 3Ps.
It's your job to know which of the 3Ps is affecting your success, and you can help others understand this, too, when they are feeling friction.
a low-stakes experiment for you
The next time you face a challenge, or when a colleague brings you a challenge they are wrestling, start by asking which of the 3Ps is the heart of the problem.
"Which of the 3Ps is the culprit here? Is it the project itself, the people, or a pattern of behavior?"
Knowing the root cause won't solve the problem, but it will focus your energy and time on the real issue at hand.
💌 When you try this, share your experience in the comments.
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