Joel Alpert
- 3 min read

Playing “Business WhacK-A-Mole”? The Problem With Problem-Solving Will Hit You Over The Head!

For spelling fams, Whac-A-Mole iand Whack-A-Mole are both correct. The first is the original video game.

Aren't we all "problem-solving" in multiple areas of business— Strategy, Branding, Management, HR — and isn't that a good thing?

Doesn’t it sound like problem-solving is exactly what any responsible business owner should do?

Are we going to let problems ran rampant, , cause problems, and damage our businesses?

Seems to make immediate and obvious sense that we should solve problems, address those issues as soon as they come up.

But wait… let’s step back.

We might observe that many business issues seem to reoccur.

So when we keep "solving" many day-to-day problems that pop up, aren't we just whacking away at them, like the Whac-A-Mole game?

There may be more here than meets the eye, and unmasking some of it may be a service. Here's my take on insights gained from training with Robert Fritz, Inc.:

When we react and respond, we’re solving a problem. (Duh!) However, it’s a short-term way of dealing with the issue.

We grab a mallet and "Whack-A-Mole" to kill the problem. Our motivation: We want to make the problem go away.!

The only problem is the mole pops up — again and again and again! — and bites you on the butt! Arrrrrrrrrrgh!

So wait… problem-solving is primarily a short-term way of dealing with business issues?

Strategic Thinking & the Problem with Problem-Solving — How Many Issues Become Management Problems

You've seen it. These recurring problems — and recurring actions — happen in many areas of business. Are these examples familiar at all?

Strategy, where the company wants to expand and grow, then they want to downsize.
Rebranding, where the company thinks their messaging and customer service functions are on target, sme in the company think products and services have evolved off brand
Recruitment or Capacity problems — keeps the business from growing when sales come in
High turnover — because of inadequate salaries, or bad work environment
Employee Frustration — they want to do a good job, but did management define goals, provide resources and pathways, or change the plan midstream again?
Organizational Management, OMG are you serious? Another reorg?

We think we should "solve" these problems..but there's an ironic dynamic that tends to occur with problem-solving:

You gotta problem… ⬇️

At first, we take lots of action to get rid of this big bad problem . . ⬇️
Yay, some improvement.
So now we need to take less action. After all, it's some gone._ ⬇️
But then — yikes! — since there's less "problem solving" effort being exerted, the problem pushes back again.

And the problem you thought you killed, comes back ,…and says (in the voice of Nelson Muntz from The Simpsons):

"Hah-hah! Whacked you over the head…AGAIN!"

The difference between "problem-solving" and "creating results…

…is like the difference between deleting emails again and again and again… or …unsubscribing.

It's like the difference between demolition and architecture. With demolition, you're trying to get rid of something. With architecture, you're designing and building.

So why do smart businesspeople run around "solving problems"? They do it for good reason!

It's obvious that businesspeople want to solve a problem. Who wouldn't want their problem to go away?!

Some owners and managers like to be "firefighters" and put out the fire whenever it rages — they're good at it, and they see it as a service. They may also be feuling the fire. Often this phenomenon is unseen because we're running around "doing"…... instead of stepping back for a the big picture.

There’s life beyond Whac-A-Mole. We can engage in "problem solving" more effectively by addressing the cause of an issue. And creating a solution orientation that’s build around what you want (not what you don’t want).

We all have a lot to learn in this area. Because we’re human.…and we want to use our superpowers for the good. But let’s direct them to really produce what we want.

This orientation — about "creating results" — is pivotal for small-medium business and solopreneurs,… not just the Fortune 500.

To bastardize the poetry of Rumi… “there’s life beyond reaction and responding. There’s a field where we put structure into place that works. I'll meet you there.”

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INSIGHT 4) Stop Whac-A-Mole Problem-Solving, it’s better for you, and the moles won't have headaches!