You fix something in your business. For a while, it seems to work. Then six months later, you are dealing with some version of the same problem again.
At some point, it is worth asking: what if the problem you keep fixing isn’t actually the problem?
Maybe you have replaced someone in the same position more than once. Maybe sales are growing, but cash still feels tight. Maybe you have changed your marketing and still aren’t seeing better results.
When the same issue keeps coming back, the obvious explanation may not be the right one.
Look Past What Happened
Take the employee you have replaced twice. It would be easy to conclude that you have made two bad hires, and maybe you have.
But what if the role was never clearly defined? What if the person had responsibility without the authority to make decisions? What if the business has changed, but the position hasn’t changed with it?
If different people keep struggling in the same seat, eventually you have to look at the seat.
The same is true with money.
“We need more sales.”
Maybe, but if revenue is growing and cash is still tight, another sale may not solve what is happening underneath. The real issue could be pricing, margins, collections, or type of work you are taking on.
Or marketing.
“Marketing isn’t working.”
Are people not finding you? Or are leads coming in and nobody is following up consistently? Those are two very different problems.
The way you defined the problem determines what you try to fix.
Look For What Hasn’t Changed
When a problem keeps returning, one of the best clues is what stayed the same.
If three people struggle in the same postion, look at the position.
If prospects consistently disappear at the same point, look at that part of your sales process.
If every important decision eventually lands back on your desk, look at how much authority you have actually given your team.
Don’t diagnose everything from the top.
Ask the people closest to the work what they are seeing. They may know about the extra approval, confusing process, or unrealistic expectation that never makes it into the leadership meeting.
Sometimes the people dealing with the problem every day can see the pattern before you can.
Ask A Better Question
You don’t need to turn every business problem into a major investigation. Some things really are what they appear to be. But recurring problems deserve a closer look.
The next time one comes back, ask:
Have we dealt with this before?
What has stayed the same each time?
What would have to change to keep this from happening again?
The last question moves you beyond fixing what happened and toward understanding what caused it.
Sometimes you really do need a better employee, more sales, or different marketing.
However if you have already “fixed” the problem and it keeps coming back, don’t be so quick to fix it again.
You may not need another solution. You may need a better diagnosis.
Running a business gives you plenty of problems to solve. The real work is knowing which ones actually need your attention. For more candid conversations about business, leadership, and growth, subscribe to Say Less Unscripted on YouTube.