International Process and Performance Institute

Most organizations are confronted with a daily ritual of problem solving.  From the C Level to the shop floor, we all experience our regular daily allowance of “ah crap” or something along that order.  It can be everything from minor nuisances to outright onslaughts. Solving problems every day comes with the territory and is often the reason we make those “big bucks.” Yes, a chuckle may be in order there.

Yet even when we are very good at organizational problem solving, it can lead us into a way of thinking which actually serves to do more harm than the intended good.  It affects our thinking, behaviors and decisions in subtle yet inherently destructive ways.  We need to become aware of this problem and its detrimental affect on our businesses; more accurately, its affect on our customers.  It’s called inside-out thinking.  Inside-out thinking in our personal lives is called myopia.  It’s when our view of the world has closed out any other view but our own; seeing only what serves us and our needs.  

Inside-out thinking is as natural for organizations as it is for human beings because our organizations are really extensions of us as humans.  How do we know when we are inside-out?  It’s actually not that hard and usually expressed in our talk.  Here is what inside-out thinking sounds like:

·    “Our customers do not appreciate what we do for them.”

·    “People are crazy if they don’t love our stuff.”

·    “Customers want the whole world and for free.”

·    “We have to make a living too.”

·    “This would be a great business if not for the customers.”

It should not be a shock to us that our organizations can become myopic.  However, just as it should be of concern for us as humans to break out of our personal myopia, we should also try to break free of our organizational myopia.  We call this outside-in thinking.

We need to keep in perspective why we are in business.  As the late Peter Drucker explained some time ago, “It is the customer who determines what a business is.”  Customers have problems too.  When we serve to solve a problem or problems for someone or society, it is only then we have a business and we have customers.  Outside of that, we have nothing.  If we are not solving problems for our customers, we are irrelevant.

Therefore, when we get so wrapped up in solving our own problems and lose sight of solving our customer’s problems, we become inside-out.  When solving business problems, the approach needs to be about the customer and not the organization. To achieve sustainable business success we need to keep sight of our customer’s problems and make their lives simpler, easier and more successful.  We need to understand their world and what they are ultimately trying to accomplish so you can see how to help them succeed.  That’s outside-in thinking. 

Take some time right now to reflect on what problems your customers have that you can or could solve.  Are you doing anything that creates more problems for your customers or is causing them frustration?  Then consider what your organization can do to solve those problems and ease that frustration.  Start solving more of your customer’s problems and you will solve more of your own than you can imagine.