“Solving Problems In An Organisation: My Toolbox Principle” By Strive Masiyiwa
“How to turn a small business into a large business”.
Like most young people, starting out, my first car turned me into an amateur mechanic; I spent a lot of time fixing it!
In my “toolbox”, there were about 20 “spanners”; each with a number. Here is a principle I extracted from those spanners, about managing a business, with lots of people:
Imagine if every single person, who works in your organization has a “toolbox”, and in that tool box, are exactly the same number of spanners. From the chairman to the cleaner, everyone has a toolbox, with exactly the same number of spanners. The only difference is that the numbers on each spanner are uniquely different for each person.
Whatever needs to be done, requires a spanner, and only one person has the exact spanner required.
If the wrong person tries to solve a problem, then they will end up using the wrong spanner. The only way you can use the wrong spanner, is if you turn it into a hammer!
As Chairman of the company, if I hear that there has been a theft at one of our stores in Nigeria. If I try to solve it, there is no spanners to fit the problem. All my spanners will be hammers!
Find the person with the right spanner and tell them to deal with it.
The more skilled we each become at using our spanners, the more effective we are.
The more we realize that each person has equal worth, and equal opportunity to solve problems and contribute, the more effective our organization.
The more we are conscious of the need to always appreciate that the person who has the the right spanner is the best person to provide a solution, when a challenge arises; the more effective we are as an organization.
Being the boss does not mean that you are the best person to solve every problem.
Sometimes being effective is simply knowing who has the right spanner. Recruiting and training the “mechanic” and giving them room to work, is key to success.
Relax: it’s not that difficult.
