He comes to speak to a colleague one row over. After twenty minutes, he comes over to talk to my team. I decide to join in the conversation. He’s here to solve a known and old problem. I ask simple questions to triangulate the issue. They haven’t thought this through. One of the higher ups told them to fix it and they came running. They can speak some buzz words that could be misconstrued.
“What is it that they need from my team? Did you know that this is already being addressed, although unresolved? Do you know who manages this specific deliverable? (I am shocked)
Come, let’s go. I need you to meet the man in charge of this problem.”
I make the introduction and scuttle away. I ask my team, “is this how things have been before I joined?”
“Yes, we run around trying to get data and information but nothing ever comes of it.”
We will no longer work that way. Unless people know what their problem is before asking us to investigate. We will advise and guide them to the right people and sources of data, but they must drive their own investigation.