Part Four: Help Others Learn How to Create and Implement 2,000 Percent Solutions

Hello, Faithful Readers,

With this post, you skip ahead five chapters. You'll just have to read the book when it comes out to see the details of what's covered in those chapters.

Part Four

Help Others Learn How to Create and Implement 2,000 Percent Solutions

Most organizations learn about 2,000 percent solutions when an individual picks up The 2,000 Percent Solution on their own and decides to work with the book. Many fine solutions are created by talented, determined individuals working alone in this way, tutored only by the book’s questions. In other cases, individuals use the book while being our students, and they receive guidance and support from us in going through their initial 2,000 percent solution.

These successful process initiators often keep their first efforts invisible from their colleagues. They often work at night and on weekends away from the office. The first experience is a test of the process, and there’s no reason to seek wider awareness. Stealth change is the easiest way to make rapid progress in most circumstances.

Few, however, of the organizations proceed beyond that initial 2,000 percent solution success. There are a number of reasons for this. The person who initially used the process may feel awkward about asking others to put forth the same amount of effort in their spare time. There may be a limited experience in the organization in successfully employing new problem solving methods which may make the successful initiator skeptical of encouraging others. Colleagues may have little interest in learning new things. People may already be very busy with other activities, and one more task could overload everyone so that less is accomplished.

Whatever the reason for not proceeding to add other creators of 2,000 percent solutions, those who know the process and would like to introduce it to others can learn a lot from our experiences.

In the final two chapters, we share with you simple, effective ways to introduce the key ideas. Following such effective contacts, your colleagues can decide how much the process appeals to them. For those who then want to proceed, this workbook will help guide them.

Even if you have many people reporting to you, we suggest that you begin introducing this process by recruiting a single person who is interested in new ideas and improvements … someone with boundless energy. After such a person has a good experience, then consider taking your colleagues’ success public and involving someone else. When the natural enthusiasts have all been recruited, then consider introducing the opportunity to everyone else.

Copyright 2005 Donald W. Mitchell