Solving problems is not specifically a management task, but managers are faced with a lot of daily problems that need to be solved.  As a manager you have a slightly different set of resources than your employees.  So how do you, as a manager, go about solving your issues?  There are ten ways that management solves problems.

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If you are in business long enough you will learn a few things about running a business.  Over the years I have run a few businesses and have found 10 ways to improve any business.  Some of it may sound like common sense but unless it happens to you, you may not be thinking about it much.

First on the list is…

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Lean thinking has been popularized by companies like Toyota, Apple, Dell, and many others.  But will practicing lean thinking produce a competitive advantage?

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OnPolicy FAQ — Frequently Asked Questions about OnPolicy

1. Is OnPolicy strictly a document manager or does OnPolicy come with Bizmanualz’s policies and procedures?
OnPolicy is document management software that can be purchased stand alone or with Bizmanualz policies and procedures Word templates.

a. Is Bizmanualz’s policy and procedure library available as a bulk document purchase? Can one buy all the forms at one time?
When you buy the OnPolicy Library you will receive all Bizmanualz documents preloaded into OnPolicy or you can purchase any of Bizmanualz products and we can load your purchase into OnPolicy.

b. Can one buy individual policies and procedures as the company develops them?
Individual procedures are available at PoliciesandProcedures.com for purchase anytime.

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As a business executive, you face many difficult daily challenges like creating and dominating new markets or finding and keeping the best people.  But then, like many executives, do you find yourself spending too much time solving everyday problems (that only you can solve, right?), which prevent you from growing your business and becoming a better manager?  You may be making some of these management mistakes:

1. Do you have a compelling vision for your company, that projects a remarkable future, but few of your employees have heard of it or could explain it if asked?

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Up until two months ago, I had never managed anyone else.  Now I was in charge.

I was afraid I would worsen the mess the company was already in. Employees scrambled to respond to executives commands.  Nobody knew what was expected of them, they complained of not having the materials to do their jobs and they couldn’t get their bosses attention.

I could sense the danger our company was in.  Some talked of quitting.  To the amazement of all my friends, I was now in charge.

“Can she really manage the company?”  I heard an employees whisper.  “No way!”  John exclaimed.  “She’s never managed anyone before in her life.”

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Communicating with authority figures make many people nervous.  Your boss holds the power over your performance reviews, salary reviews, and future work assignments.  Don’t be intimidated by all that authority.  Your business communications can be improved.  You just need to understand your boss and what they expect from you when you do communicate.  You don’t have to be nervous if you keep these ten simple ideas in mind.

10 Considerations to Communicating with your Boss

1. Keep your boss informed. Your boss doesn’t like surprises.  If something bad has happened, its better they find out from you now then from someone else later.  If you want a better boss then keep them informed.

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Have you heard of Management by Objectives?  It was first popularized by Peter Drucker in the 1950’s.  This is basic goal setting, where you pick (or agree on with your employees) your objectives and then drive everyone to the result.  Results are important, but so is keeping control of your organization.  The problem with Management by Objectives is that we don’t want to become overly focused on the goals to the point where we begin to ignore the environment around us.  What’s better than Management by Objectives?

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There are two types of actions in an ISO 9001 Quality Management System: Corrective action and preventive action.  Many people struggle with just what a preventive action looks like and how it differs from a corrective action.  What’s funny about this discussion is how everyone tries to explain the difference as merely an interpretation of the words “occurrence” and “potential”.

For example, the ISO 9000:2005 definition states:

Corrective Action (Clause 3.6.5):
action to eliminate the cause of a detected nonconformity and its recurrence.

Preventive Action (Clause 3.6.4):
action to eliminate the cause of a potential nonconformity and its occurrence.

But does this really clear it up for anyone?

What’s the Difference between Corrective Action and Preventive Action?

Corrective action is performed on detected nonconformities.  In other words, there are real defects that exist right now

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If your background is in manufacturing, it can be difficult understanding what a “service” nonconformance can look like.  If you are not sure what it is, then it is even harder understanding how to document a “service” nonconformance.  If you’re having trouble documenting any kind of nonconforming condition, it most likely means that your customer requirements aren’t clear.  After all, manufacturing defects are pretty obvious right?

In manufacturing we know what a defect is.  Good products are made to specifications and therefore meet customer requirements.  A good product meets the intended purpose, has the right dimensions, and is what was ordered.  The product does not break when used.  It is free from dents, scratches, or material blemishes.  The product should be clean, safe, and doesn’t make the customer think.  It should just work…

We see product defects.  They are pretty obvious.  So why can’t we see service defects?

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