The Problem With Silver Bullets

Why are solutions to problems called “Silver Bullets”?

I suspect it has something to do with the old, traditional legends that demons, giants and (after 1941’s The Wolf Man) werewolves could be killed by the shot of a single, silver bullet. In the 1930’s and 40’s, The Lone Ranger shot silver bullets at the bad guys and did good deeds for everyone else.

The fact that silver makes for bullets that are too light (and, therefore, inaccurate) is usually overlooked – although for the sake of this blog post, I think that fact may be all the more appropriate. You see, silver bullets rarely work the way they’re intended to.

And managers who try to use them are often looking for a new solution that doesn’t really exist.

Innovative technology, alone, won’t solve a business problem. Neither will a new work process. Or policy. Or client. Or manager.

No matter what the “silver bullet” is, it’s going to require marksmanship to hit its target – and that means leadership from management. Here are a few simple things to keep in mind the next time you get ready to take aim at a problem:

1) Make sure you have a clear assessment of the problem – this might take a little bit of work, but knowing the lay of the land, the nature of the problem and the various obstacles to success is vital to making sure your solution actually works. Be bold and honest in your assessment. Overlooking an embarrassing fact or issue because it makes you feel uncomfortable could unhorse you before your solution has a chance to work.

2) Scenario plan for the possible outcomes – this requires creativity on your part and your managers. Think through all of the possible outcomes and make sure you’ve got an action plan for those results you think would be most likely. Consider the “best case” scenarios as well as the “worst case” ones and identify what factors have to change to move from “worst” to “best.” Doing so helps you identify the key measurements you have to take to determine success. (see step #’s 6 and 7)

3) Get your team behind you – don’t do it alone. There is strength in numbers and we call that strength: “credibility.” Managers who try to undertake new initiatives alone are often seen as operating outside the rules and are too easily dismissed. It’s tough to make change stick when no one thinks anyone else will change.

4) Communicate clearly, effectively and frequently – it may be boring you to you, but you need to repeat your key messages over and over and over and over until everyone knows them by heart. Message burn-out in CEO’s is a leading cause of ineffective leadership. Remember, you are a communications vehicle – a medium, per se – and you need to make sure you reach everyone in your organization enough times to get your message into their head.

5) Keep the heat on – persistence pays off. Remember that it takes someone at least 21 days to change a habit – and in the workplace, because of weekends, holidays and several other competing factors, it often takes longer. Without the focus of corporate leadership on the change, change will not occur.

6) Measure your progress – you won’t succeed instituting change if you don’t have a vision of where you need to be to be successful. This is best done early on (see step #2), but if you didn’t scenario plan, then you better set some goals … like yesterday!

7) Celebrate your successes – make sure everyone knows when you’ve arrived at your destination. Nothing succeeds like success. And co-workers need to know they’ve done the job and benefit from the accomplishment.

Do it right and you’ll not only hit the target, you’ll develop a reputation for doing good deeds for people.

Hi-ho, Silver.

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