I love this question because it is so versatile. Change the emphasis on certain words and syllables and you change the meaning altogether. For example, “What is your problem?” with equal emphasis throughout asked in a business situation asks the question “how may I help you?, while asking the same question but emphasizing the WHAT and PROBLEM at home is a statement that says “get out of my face…Dad…”
Teenagers aside, this is also an incredibly insightful question for us as we develop the most appropriate solution for employers dealing with healthcare problems. What we are looking for in the answer to this question is perspective, ownership and motivation. Some examples:
1. HELPLESSNESS: My problem is my claims–we have a lot of unhealthy people and they are driving our costs through the roof. But the claims are the claims, and there is nothing we can do…This suggests a problem exists within the four walls of the organization–which is good–but through attitude or experience or both the employer feels they are powerless to impact the problem…which is bad.
2. VICTIM HOOD: My problem is my insurance carrier…they’re screwin’ me again…This suggests delegation and abdication-I have hired my insurance carrier to manage the problem and they are the problem. Not only are they not performing but they are giving my employees high blood pressure and driving me to the brink of cardiac arrest!
3. MISSION CRITICAL: My problem is my ability to compete in the market and to survive-my health care costs are through the roof and my employees are totally pissed off…there has to be a better way…Suggests a sense of magnitude, urgency, motivation and a willingness to roll up their sleeves. ” What we’ve done in the past hasn’t worked, there must be a better way, and we need to find it now…”
Can you see how the answer to the question is so crucial?
Our job is to help organizations improve their business performance by controlling costs and driving high employee engagement. But we have to be realistic, and we have to match expectations with capacity. We cannot implement a progressive health improvement strategy in an organization that feels helpless or like a victim of the health insurance carrier–it won’t work!
Success is relative, and the plan must match expectations with reality. We do a huge disservice if we fail to understand the organizations relative sense of ownership, urgency and motivation.
Try it for yourself.
What is your problem???
