Is FIXING A Problem Means SOLVING It?

Is FIXING A Problem Means SOLVING It?

Is FIXING A Problem Means SOLVING It?  YES and NO.  Let's get glued to this picture and this gives away the answer.  IF you fix a problem superficially, YES, on the surface, you seem to have solved a problem BUT can you validate that your FIX was really applied to the very ROOT CAUSE of the problem? Problem is, many times, we commit these lapses [and I admit I committed these same lapses many times in the past].  As it is, problems do surface in specific manifestations OR behaviors and often. we get glued to that📗📙📘

The stark difference in solving problems  is essential because a fixed problem will likely recur and haunt you again UNLESS its very ROOT CAUSE was addressed with finality.  And a SOLVED problem can be gone forever. BUT experts have a recommended approach wherein we need to CHECK THE FIX.  YES, the start of every good problem-solving process is to develop a strong picture of the PATTERN of FAILURE around the problem💧💧💧

In theoretical terms, that means answering all of the 'WHO, 'WHAT', 'WHEN'. 'WHERE' and 'HOW' questions.  Examples would be:  WHAT does our FAILURE look like?  WHEN our people come to us with a potential solution to a problem in the workplace, we need to ask for an explanation HOW eliminating the ROOT CAUSE can explain the pattern of the FAILURE.  There should be NO 'holes' to the explanation.  All of the characteristics of the pattern of FAILURE should be explained by the ROOT CAUSE they have determined.  If NOT, we need to question the proposed solution to address the ROOT CAUSE❎❎❎

In a real-life workplace, we would often FIX a problem by changing a mechanical part of a piece of equipment.  And while this may make a problem seem to go away, it may NOT address the ROOT CAUSE of WHY that problem was happening in the first place.  WHEN we see a child misbehaving, do slap the child's wrist or spew all the possible words to the child?  Will that approach fix the ROOT CAUSE of the child's lapses?  And if you face cash flow issues, do you give your spouse-partner that 'tongue-lashing'?  And does that solve the ROOT CAUSE???

Our takeaway:  It's part of our human frailties WHEN we are facing a problem, we're tempted to find the SHORTCUTS but many times, those SHORTCUTS do CUT US SHORT!  Because sometimes, we ended up fixing the behavior, the manifestation, the surface instead of the very ROOT CAUSE of the problem.  Marital woes?  The guilty party will shower his/her partner/spouse with a surprise gift enough to floor him/her down.  Does that sole the ROOT CAUSE of their marital woes?  So, let's be mindful that FIXING a problem needs us to SOLVE THE PROBLEM itself❗❗❗