“Simple Problem Solving”

Planning for the future topic continues…

We’ve had several opportunities in the last couple of weeks to sit together as a family and exercise our planning muscles.  Here is a shortened list of topics:

• College Admission
• College Budgeting
• Vocation
• College Transportation
• Summer Volunteering
• Summer Travel
• Graduation Party

For a little bit of context, my professional background is program management.  I am the planning pro.  I’ve used several very logical planning methods.  I have a professional certificate and a master’s degree in this discipline.  All of these credentials have NO applicability to planning with a teenager.  Don’t believe me?

I like to start out with a simple problem solving model [because everything we try to plan with a teenager is a huge life or death problem].

1. Identify the problem or goal
2. Develop alternatives to solve the problem or achieve your goal
3. Analyze the alternatives
4. Select the best alternative
5. Plan action steps for the best alternative
6. Execute the steps
7. Evaluate the results.

Straight forward and simple, right.  Let’s get started.

1. Identify the problem or goal for your future vocation:

Ok, I don’t have a problem, but, well, it’s like, you know, the time when the Nazis invaded Poland and…

Wait.  Wait. Wait.  I thought we were trying to plan your future vocation?

What?  You asked me if I had a problem.

No, I didn’t.  I asked you to define your future work goal.

Oh.  Well, my mind likes to look at the big picture and there are a lot of messed up leaders in the world.  Do you think anybody ever considers the motivations of a dictator?  Did you hear about the mess in North Korea?

What does North Korea have to do with your future work?

Maybe I should consider going to school in Wisconsin.

Stop, stop, stop.  I am lost here.  I need you to give me a list of jobs you might be interested in.

I really should look into scholarships so I don’t have to spend my own college money when I get my degree in International Relations and work for the UN as a Diplomat.

Hey.  Look at that.  We are on step 7.  Good job.  [“Where is the Tylenol?” (Clark Griswold)]

And so goes nearly every simple problem solving activity.

1 Corinthians 13:4-5 “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.”

- What is your plan? -

My “Perfect” Plan

Have you ever had a plan so tightly wrapped that you felt like success was a foregone conclusion?  I mean you knew, with 100% certainty, that everything would execute exactly according to the plan.  There were no holes in the plan and no room for deviations.  A perfect plan… the ever-illusive utopia.

Several years ago, my wife and I were set to embark on another military move.  We were moving from Fort Rucker, AL, and heading to Monterey, CA, for graduate school.  [I know, tough duty]

Our “perfect” plan:

Movers head out with all of our worldly possessions on a Thursday.  We were to expect delivery no earlier than 12 days later.  No need for storage.  We were doing a door-to-door move.  Everyone said a door-to-door move was a myth; it’s impossible.  We’ll show them.  Our plan is fool-proof.

We leave Fort Rucker on Friday and head to Atlanta to send the boys back to Minnesota.  They were staying with grandparents so they wouldn’t have to make the long drive.  Hurray for grandparents!

We leave Atlanta on Monday after Mary flew back from Minneapolis, complete with dropping off the boys.  Off we go on our relaxing 2,400 mile drive to Monterey.  The “perfect” plan included driving an average of 550 for 4 days and then an easy 200 miles the last day.

Once we got to Monterey on Friday, after our easy 200 miles, we would drop the dog off at the kennel and check into the Guest House.  Making the trip with the dog in the car would add some complexity but we could handle it.  We had a “perfect” plan for that too.

We would sign for our military housing on Friday and explore the city over the weekend.  Monday would come and we would be completely ready for the delivery team; ready with donuts, pizza and a few Cokes.

Oh how I love a “perfect” plan!

What really happened:  Everything was going great right up until day 3 (Thursday) of our drive.

While at a rest stop in Arizona, we get a call from the military transportation office.  The movers, apparently, are supermen and managed to be 3 days ahead of schedule.  What moving company has ever done that!  

They were going to deliver our household goods on Friday morning, not the next Monday, like we had planned.  Ok.  Only a slight change to the plan…  Then the next bit of good news.  If we were not at our house ready for the delivery at 9:00 am, they would put our stuff in storage for 30 days.

Noooooo…. don’t you understand, we are doing a door-to-door.  We have a perfect plan.  This is not happening.

Ok.  Wait.  We can do this.  

We will skip our last overnight stop and drive straight to Monterey.  We can do the remaining 800 miles in a day.  

We don’t have a place to stay!  We will call for new hotel reservations.  The Dog!  The hotel needs to take pets.  [Not an easy  find]  We have a reservation at a hotel on the beach.  Too bad we can’t enjoy it.  [another side note..we got lost getting to the hotel.  No GPS.]

Guess we can cancel the kennel reservation. [as a side note:  Arizona and southern California rest areas don’t have any grass.  The dog won’t relieve himself unless he has grass.  We found out that he has a very large bladder capacity.]

The housing office!  They don’t open until 9:00 am!  I called them and told them our dilemma.  They agreed to meet me so I could sign for the keys early Friday morning, while my better-half waits for the truck.

WHAT HAPPENED TO OUR PERFECT AND RELAXING PLAN?  Gone.

Everything turned out ok in the end, as it almost always does, despite our melodramatic panic.  We even completed the elusive door-to-door move.

The worst part of the entire change episode was totally self-induced.  Yours truly decided it would be a good idea, and quicker, to take the scenic route (HWY 1) up the California coast to cover our last 100 miles.  The last 100 miles of a 800 mile day.  It was not quicker and not very scenic with the sun on the horizon and in your eyes for 100 miles.  Not to mention it made my better-half sick. [Never a good thing.]

When will we learn to stop chasing the “Perfect” plan.

Romans 8:28  “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

- What is your plan? -

“Making Tracks - A Week in Review”

No week ever goes as planned.  We all start with a well intentioned plan, but it never seems to go according to our plan. (Note: I wrote this a couple of weeks ago prior to a much needed vacation.)

My plan was to get a jump on the work week.  Get up early and be to work by 0730.  My plan was subverted the minute I walked down the stairs.  

The smell hit me like a three shot espresso.  I’m wide awake now.  It smelled like someone had slaughtered a deer and hit all the bad parts.  

The dog got sick and defecated all over the dining room, kitchen and hallway.  As he has gotten older, he is having accidents more frequently, but this...this was like nothing we’ve ever had to deal with before.  He started at the base of the stairs and decided to run an obstacle course while discharging.  He managed to create a  serpentine course under the dining room table, between the legs of the chairs, and continue the release into the middle of the kitchen.  He then, apparently, repositioned to the office area where he left a nice chocolate streak down the hallway toward the kitchen.  I guess he was “Making Tracks”.

My Monday morning started with 35 minutes of scrubbing on my hands and knee.  Thankfully, we have mostly tile floor downstairs.  This was not my plan.

Because of my decision to get an early start on Monday, my wife and I departed from our normal gym schedule.  We went to the gym separately to continue our quest to go From-Couch-to-5K.  This is our attempt to “Make Tracks” to healthier living.  I think it might just put us in the hospital.  Running is hard.

Tuesday was a good trek.  A few surprises, mostly positive, and certainly nothing like the dog squirts.  Tuesday night I found myself at our church council meeting.  Council nights are a little tough because Tuesday nights are family night at our house.  It is the only night we are all home together.  Busy teenagers.  The meeting went well with a few curves in the road as we welcome several new members and new ideas.     

Wednesday morning the dog decided to leave me a few surprises closer to home.  He decided it was a good idea to evacuate during his morning stretch.  He sleeps on the floor near my side of the bed.  Needless to say, I stepped lightly out of bed to avoid his #2.  Another early morning clean up.  Again, not what I had planned.  

My wife and I made it to the gym in the morning and completed our run.  My plan was to shower at the gym and head into work.  Work would have to wait since I left my belt and deodorant at home.  More “Tracks”, and miles on the car, as I had to return home because nobody wants my BO around the office, even if I am wearing a tie.

Thursday’s plan was to get into work early again.  I am trying to closeout several tasks as we are preparing for a much needed summer family vacation.  Thursday was my last full work day before we depart.  It was difficult to stay focused while I beat back thoughts of laying on the beach with a little umbrella drink in my hand.  My “Tracks” around the office were a little more hurried today.  My boss told me to put everything on hold and start concentrating on the vacation.  The work will be here when I get back.  I think that is why I’m afraid.

Remember earlier when I said that “we” had to deal with the dog’s accidents.  My wife and son got their chance to participate.  You got it.  For the third and fourth time this week, the dog left us a little treat.  This time in the living room.  Get out the Target bags, rubber gloves and rags.  And to think, my son loves animals and wants to be a vet.  This is good practice, but this was not exactly his plan.

At the time of this writing, Friday is yet to happen, but don’t you worry, I will have a plan.  Actually, we have great plans to spend the day together as a family on a harbor cruise and tour of Fort Wool.  It will be interesting to see what alternate “Tracks” await us.

Maybe I’ve stumbled onto the problem.  It is our plan, not God’s plan.  Consider, through prayer,  the “Tracks” He would have for you.  I bet it will make a difference in the way you approach each day.  Every week that I get to “Make Tracks” with my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is a great week.

Jeremiah 29:11  “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

- What is your plan? -

“Wake up Sleepy Teen”

This is a post about tactical planning.  Tactical, as defined by Merriam-Webster; “of or relating to small-scale actions serving a larger purpose.”  Precisely.  I planned deliberate, small-scale actions to serve the larger purpose of getting my teens out of bed!  

Let me set the stage.  Teenager is told the night before that he needs to be up at a reasonable time to get work done the next day.  So, there are a couple of problems here [see previous post on problem identification].  First, does a teen really know what “reasonable means”?  9:00 am is reasonable.  12:30 pm is NOT reasonable.  Second, in the teen’s mind, instruction the “night before” has no relevance to the next morning.

The answer: “Operation Nerf Ambush”

First step: Pre-position the Nerf weapons and darts in mom and dad’s room the night before.

Second step: Pre-combat checks-make sure all Nerf magazines are loaded.

Third step: Recon the hallway and remove any obstacles.  We are ready for execution.

At the appointed time, 9:01 am, sneak down the hallway and slide into his doorway.  Take a position with clear visibility of the teen and unleash a full barrage of Nerf darts while singing “Wake Up Sleepy Teen”.  He will wake up.  [sometimes his brother even gets to participate in the ambush]

The teen is a learning creature.  If doesn’t take him long to figure out that mom and dad aren’t kidding about employing “Operation Nerf Ambush”.  He decides to fire back with his Nerf bow and arrow. Time for a new tactical plan.  

The answer: “Operation Bulldozer”

First step: Warn the teen about “Operation Bulldozer”.  Don’t tell him what it is, just that it is coming if he doesn’t get out of bed at a reasonable time.

Second step: Recon the room to ensure floor is clear of clutter. [Right!  It is a teenager’s room.]

Third step: Mentally rehearse your movements.  Timing and speed of your movements are key on this operation.  Ready.

Again, at the appointed time, sneak down the hallway and slide into his room.  In a single swift motion, starting at one corner of the bed, grab the bottom sheet and start to pull.  As you pull, continue to roll everything on the bed, including the teen, into a giant burrito.  Continue rolling until this giant burrito and all its contents are resting on the floor.  He will wake up.  Additionally, he has a firm understanding what “Operation Bulldozer” is all about.

While these operations were executed on our oldest teen, the youngest is not exempt.  He has a very early wake up on school days, 5:30 am.  We usually allow him a little snooze time after the first alarm.  This leeway is quickly becoming a second and then a third call to get out of bed.

I think he better reverse this trend or I might just have another opportunity to plan and execute a “small-scale action”

Proverbs 20:13  “Do not love sleep or you will grow poor; stay awake and you will have food to spare.”

- What is your plan? -

“That’s not my problem”

In John G. Miller’s book, QBQ!, The Question behind the Question, the message is very clear.  The message is personal accountability.  Personal accountability is, in part, the ability to use “I” statements that indicate your acceptance of responsibility for the outcome in a given situation.

“I messed that up.”  

“I didn’t complete my assignment on time.”

“I failed to treat you with respect.”

A person with a lack of personal accountability will try to deflect responsibility and place blame onto someone else.

“They didn’t do their job.”

“She was suppose to remind me.”

“He didn’t tell me about the next task.”

Personal accountability plays a significant role in defining the problem for any given plan implementation.  If the person identifying the problem lacks personal accountability, he will most certainly identify the wrong problem.  There is a clear link between personal accountability and incorrectly identifying the problem.  Let’s walk through a “hypothetical” situation.

A high school junior is told by his teacher that he is almost finished with the school year.  He looks at the large amount of remaining work on his schedule and concludes that the “problem” is that his teacher obviously lied to him.  There is way too much work to be almost done with the school year.  This junior did not ask the question behind the question.  

The real “problem” was his lack of output or willingness to put in the hard work.  A better response from the junior would have been, “I have a lot of work to do.  I better get to work.”

I think we all need to take responsibility for our output and “get to work”.

2 Thessalonians 3:10 “For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.” “

- What is your plan? -

"The Problem Is..."

My wife (“M”) and I are the proud parents of a 17 year old young man (“S”).  He is at the age of peak wisdom.  He can immediately identify “The Problem” when things aren’t going according to his plan.

The Background:  “S” is homeschooled and is assigned his work for the week.  He is expected to be an independent worker and understands the concept of natural consequences (remember: he is at the age of peak wisdom).  If he doesn't get his work done, the work rolls over to the next week.  If this continues long enough, he won't graduate on time.  And so on...

The Dialog:

S -  “Good Morning.”

M - “It is not morning when the time is 11:50 am.  I thought you were starting your school work earlier today.  What happened?”

S- “Well, you see, from my view….”

M- “Why are you still in your pajamas?”

S- “I knew it was late so I thought…”

M- “What time did you go to bed last night?”

S- “11:00 pm, no wait 3:00 am but that is not the problem.  The problem is….”

I would submit to you that identification of “The Problem” is the first, and most important, imperative in proper planning.  In the exaggerated (this never happens) example above, our wise-beyond-his years 17 year old was on a path to identify the wrong problem.  His plan, if he got that far, would have missed the mark.  Clearly, “The Problem” for him is loving parents who hold him accountable.

In all fairness to my son, accurate problem identification is a significant issue for most people and groups.  It is nearly always listed as the first step in any problem solving model, yet it is the most frequently neglected step.  I see it every day in my professional life.  A good plan must start with properly identifying “The Problem”.

“If I had an hour to solve a problem I'd spend 55 minutes thinking about the problem and 5 minutes thinking about solutions.”  Albert Einstein

Proverbs 14:8  “The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways, but the folly of fools is deception.”

- What is your plan? -