Ever come across someone who seeks your advice but doesn’t take action? She asks you questions but then does nothing. When you dig deeper, you discover the real reason. It’s because she’s been trying to solve the symptom of the problem and not the cause. Let me explain how using the case of KP and her desire to switch email newsletter providers.
Here’s the Situation – Stuck and Dissatisfied
A friend and solopreneur decided that she wanted to change newsletter providers for her coaching business. So she turned to me and asked “what newsletter provider are you using?” I said I was a happy Aweber customer and explained why I switched from a previous provider.
A month later she was still searching. This time she came back and asked “who are you using for autoresponders?” My answer was still the same-Aweber. It was evident that something was blocking her. Something was still unresolved.So What Was the Cause of the Problem?
K.P. is an action-oriented woman and passionate about the service she provides to her clients. So her lack of action puzzled me. I thought: Why hadn’t she made the change to a different newsletter provider? Why was she still undecided about which one to use? Why was she stuck & dissatisfied?
So I couldn’t help but say, “This isn’t the first time you’ve asked about autoresponders. What is it about your situation that’s holding you back? Something isn’t getting answered for you.” And that’s when she ‘fessed up…
You see K.P. loves her current solution. She really didn’t want to switch. But her dissatisfaction came from a recent price change. And in her mind, K.P.couldn’t justify the monthly price in exchange for her favorite feature-instant access to a stock image gallery. That’s why she started seeking an alternative.
How Did We Resolve the Issue Together?
1. Identified decision-making criteria.
Instant access to a gallery of photos and the ability to add them effortlessly to her newsletters was a requirement for KP. Hearing the emotion in her voice as she expressed what she liked and didn’t like made it clearly evident.
2. Assessed how other providers stack against criteria.
KP researched alternatives. However, a month later, she hadn’t arrived at a decision. I helped her connect the dots and close the knowledge gap. It was then she realized that she was paying market price. And my preferred choice of vendor would not have met her expectations.
3. Explored the Trade off.
So let’s say she switched email newsletter providers to Aweber, 1ShoppingCart, iContact or GetResponse. She could still add images to her newsletter. However, she’d have to actively source royalty-free photos directly from various websites (e.g. iStockphoto or Flickr) while paying attention to copyright. Plus she would have to learn how to use the new email application
What Was the End Result?
KP decided to stay with her current provider. Why? She discovered that her current provider was competitively priced. No other provider had the feature she wanted. And the trade-off to a different solution involved manually sourcing royalty-free photos and learning a new tool.
Bottom line: KP has gone from stuck and dissatisfied to relieved and happy. She’s now mentally and emotionally comfortable that she’s using the right solution for her business objectives. With peace of mind, she’s can now focus on other priorities.
So What’s the Key Takeaway?
When you address the symptom of the problem, you don’t achieve the resolution you desire.
KP asked “What newsletter provider do you use?”. She could ask 100 people any variation of this question and still end up in the same place. In her case, the problem was still unresolved a month later.
Look at the assumption underlying the question. Then ask the question differently.
The question “Which newsletter provider are you using?” assumes that the solution to the problem is to switch newsletter providers. Instead of wondering which provider can I switch to, ask “how can I get what I want on my terms?” With a shift in thinking, you can ask better questions. And in doing so, you get better quality information to achieve the results you truly desire. Turn to someone you trust and respect. Explore the tradeoffs against your criteria. Decide your course of action. Then make it happen.
Think of a conflict or issue you’ve been struggling with. Are you asking questions that reflect symptoms of the problem? Or are your questions getting to the cause of the conflict?
