Organizational problems are complex, and this complexity springs from the fact that firms are systems with different components that must work synchronously to produce positive results. Therefore, when a problem rears its head within the system, it bears the mark of the same intricacy. Every organizational problem has layers, much like an onion (Block, 2011). As a consultant, the ability to peel off the layers and get to the roots of the problem is imperative because only then can the problem be solved. However, to do that, the presenting problem must not be confused with the real problem. To confuse the two means peeling the wrong problem, leading to the wrong solution.
The presenting problem is the client’s initial attempt to describe the causes of the issue (Block, 2011). However, the client often gets it wrong because if he knew the causes, he would have solved it before imploring outside help from a consultant (Block, 2011). Thus, consultants must be wary about the presenting problem in solving organizational issues because it is usually only a symptom of the real problem (Block, 2011). Once the real problem is determined, peeling the layers can begin.
The presenting problem is the top layer of a real problem (Block, 2011). Every effort must be made to penetrate the layers as far as possible to reach the core, where the problem’s source is located. To do that, probing questions must be posed to the stakeholders. As the consultant works through the many layers of the problem, he engages in a discovery process to determine the problem’s root causes. Thus, the layers might serve as the foundation for queries in this discovery process (Block, 2011). As one can imagine, success in the discovery process relies heavily on the ability to ask powerful questions. Therefore, a powerful insight learned from conducting many interviews is that a consultant skilled at asking probing questions can get to the heart of the problem faster.
Reference
Block, P. (2011). Flawless consulting: A guide to getting your expertise used (3rd ed.). Pfeiffer.