Our CEO, Scott Schwertly, recently wrote about the relationships between salary levels and problem solving ability. It’s a simple concept, really: companies pay more for people that fix problems.
What kind of problems? Flat sales. Negative brand impressions. Disgruntled employees. Poorly aligned compensation agreements. Costly production processes. Etc. etc. etc.
If you have a job at all, there are problems all around you. That’s because no job is perfect, and every company wants to grow. Growth takes improvement, efficiency, transition and adaption. You can’t do any of that without problem solving.
But we’re all aware that, in most companies, you don’t get to just spot a problem and tell the managers, “I’ll fix it.” Depending on your tenure, track record, perceived capabilities, and other factors, managers are just as likely to say, “We don’t need to focus on that,” or “You’re right, that’s a problem. We’ll have ___ work on it,” as they are to say, “Sure, go for it.”
To spot and go after problem-solving opportunities, you need some really desirable traits (from a manager’s perspective): a combination of personal ambition, consistent initiative, and organizational commitment (aka being a “company man/woman”) gets you 90% of the way to being a perfect employee. But being a great presenter is the other 10%.
Seriously. Every corporate trash can in America is filled with great ideas. What gets sold gets done, and whoever sells it does it. Not only does the formality and preparation of creating internal presentations to discuss problems and potential solutions signal to managers that a true professional is available and invested in solving a problem, but it takes them out of the frenzy of their schedule and, if you frame the story appropriately, helps them see the problem in the context of the organization’s larger goals.
Which brings us to another point. If you want to be the go-to guy or girl in your company (and let’s hope you do, because they make more money), you need to understand the culture and values of the company from management’s perspective. They don’t see the company the same way the goal-less whiners that hang around the coffee pots see it. Remember: in a lot of cases, they’re the ones that built the company from the ground up. They have a vested interest in the company’s future. It’s their baby, and like with all babies, parents are sometimes the last to see serious issues when the baby grows up.
We say that because when we go out of our way to present for the opportunity to solve a problem, we’re not just selling the solution; we’re selling the problem. And we need to sell it in a way that doesn’t slash and burn the company.
Every organization is looking for the next generation of committed problem-solvers who have the most unique characteristic of all: an owner’s mentality. So do yourself a favor the next time you spot a problem in the office: go home that evening, outline a pitch that tells a story about what that problem does to the company’s big picture, prove there’s a problem with whatever data, quotes, or other concrete information you can find, and project the bottom line value of solving that problem.
Do that well, and guess what they’ll be begging for? Your solutions, and for you to make it happen. Wait 6-months to a year for the results to show up on the P&L, and go ask for your raise. You’ll have earned it.
Question: How do you ask for opportunities in your organization?
