I WAS ON AN AIRPLANE LAST WEEK, AND I SAT NEXT TO A SALESMAN.  AFTER WE INTRODUCED OURSELVES AND I EXPLAINED MY REASON FOR THE VISIT, HE ASKED ME A QUESTION THAT REALLY CUT TO THE CHASE.  WHEN HE ASKED ABOUT THE COMPANY I WAS GOING TO BE VISITING, HE SIMPLY ASKED, “WHERE’S THEIR PAIN?”  I WAS TAKEN ABACK AND ASKED, “THEIR PAIN?” “SURE,” HE SAID. “THEIR PAIN—WHAT KEEPS THEM UP AT NIGHT!” WE LAUGHED, AND I SAID THAT I REALLY DIDN’T HAVE AN ANSWER FOR HIM RIGHT THEN.  BUT AFTER SOME THOUGHT, I REALIZED THAT “WHERE’S THE PAIN?” REALLY IS A GREAT QUESTION FOR ALL OF US THAT WANT TO IMMEDIATELY PRESCRIBE A SOLUTION FOR ANY SITUATION WE FACE.

MANY TIMES, WE ARE SO ANXIOUS TO GET TO THE RECOMMENDATION OR SOLUTION THAT WE REALLY DON’T UNDERSTAND WHAT OUR CLIENT/CUSTOMER/EMPLOYEE’S MAIN ISSUE REALLY IS. WE LISTEN TO THEM SPEAK, BUT, IN OUR MIND, WE HAVE ALREADY FINISHED THEIR SENTENCE AND BEGUN OFFERING OUR OPINION ON HOW TO FIX THE PROBLEM.  LIKE AN INEXPERIENCED DOCTOR, WE’RE TREATING THE SYMPTOMS, NOT TREATING THE REAL, CORE ISSUE THAT’S CAUSING THE PROBLEMS. AS A RESULT, WE TAKE THE PILL AND THINK THAT WE ARE MOVING FORWARD, NOT REALIZING THAT WE ARE JUST MANAGING THE PAIN AND, ULTIMATELY, STAYING IN THE SAME PLACE.

IN BUSINESS, WE MUST CONTINUE TO GET TO THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE GAP IN PERFORMANCE AND NOT SETTLE FOR DEVELOPING OUR STRATEGY AROUND THE SYMTOMS. IT’S EASY TO DO, AND MOST OF US HAVE DONE EXACTLY THAT AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER. SIMILARLY, IT’S EASY TO GET CONFUSED OR FRUSTRATED ABOUT OUR TEAM’S ABILITY TO MOVE THE BUSINESS FORWARD WHEN WE REALLY AREN’T MEASURING RESULTS, BUT RATHER, ACTIVITIES.   THAT IS MOST CERTAINLY A RECIPE FOR FAILURE.

HAVING THE DISCIPLINE TO LISTEN TO YOUR CLIENT OR CUSTOMER AND REALLY DIGGING INTO THEIR PAIN WILL HELP YOU DEVELOP STRATEGIES THAT FIX THE PROBLEM, NOT THE SYMTOMS.  THIS SKILL IS NOT COMMON, IN MY OPINION, AS MOST OF US WANT TO JUMP IN AND STARTING FIXING—W ETHER IT’S THE RIGHT PROBLEM OR NOT!  AS JIM COLLINS REFERS TO IN HIS BOOK, GOOD TO GREAT, “IT IS THE DISCIPLINE OF THE LEADER THAT MOST TIMES DETERMINES THE GOOD FROM THE GREAT.”

SO, THE NEXT TIME THAT YOU VISIT A CLIENT, CUSTOMER, EMPLOYEE, OR FAMILY MEMBER, AND THEY TELL YOU THEY’D LIKE YOUR HELP, FIND OUT WHERE THE PAIN REALLY IS!  IT WILL HELP YOU PRESCRIBE THE RIGHT FIX.