Problemometer

Entrepreneurs are the most creative problem solvers and particularly good at avoiding bikeshedding .

Why do some problems keep recurring no matter what we do?

Research shows that this happens when we misdiagnose problems according to their symptoms. What seems intuitive is anything but. Misdiagnosis leaves the real cause lying in wait, ready to wreak havoc when we least need it.

These are the problems that wake you in the wee small hours in a lather of panic. Sound familiar?

How big is your pile of problems?

Take a run through our problemometer and see where you land.

Four symptoms appear when a business starts to have process problems. Which one is destroying your sleep?

When customers are complaining it's a scary sign. What have you tried?

How exhausting. What have you tried?

What have you tried?

Which one of these have you tried?

Having policies and procedures is one thing, getting people to follow them is another. Did they work?

Did hiring new staff make things better?

Reducing costs and managing to maintain your standards is quite a feat. Did you nail it?

Did the training work?

Did they do your things the right way?

Great! So what are you doing here?

So the policies and procedures didn't work. What have you tried next?

Reducing costs and maintaining your standards is a pretty tough ask. What else have you tried?

Grrr, you must have been really annoyed. What's your next step?

What else have you tried?

You must be tearing your hair out! Which one of these makes the most sense as your next step?

When it seems like you have tried everything and you still need a solution, it's time to look at an old idea that still works and is the secret sauce behind many successful companies.

Lots of old ideas keep on working: wheels, fire, sliced bread. Have a look at the Red Bead Game video for a rock-solid idea that will change the way you work.

And please reassure us that you are not a robot. Robots just don't get it!

The best place to start could be with a cuppa and a good read. We have written a story about a company going through the type of growing pains that business owners say they mostly have to endure.

Have a look at the book. We have a couple of chapters to look through and then you can buy either (or both) the kindle or print version of the book to read, alone, quietly and with time to think.

Robots aren't allowed through, so please confirm your humanness before you continue on.

Not knowing where to start is a common curse. We think that a better understanding of the problem is a good place to begin. Happily the starting point is one click away :)

Just confirm that you are not a robot and click through to get started.

Hello noodler :)

You seem to be the curious type so you might be interested to watch a demonstration of how dreadful most business processes really are. It's quite a hoot but enormously useful.

We recommend you look at the Red Bead Game video on our Proof page.

And because we want to know how people move through our quiz we have built it on a form which means it has to have a reCAPTCHA box to tick. Please confirm that you are not a robot!

Perfect, you are in the right place. Busy people like you have already benefitted from spending a few minutes getting to grips with the problem that, once solved, gives you back your missing time.

We don't share this information with robots so please confirm that you aren't one and take a look.

Aaahh, someone who is interested in improving rather than just fixing. Congratulations on being so evolved!

We think the best way to lock in continuous improvement is by having a deep understanding of the problem. Then the solutions are easier to find. Let us take you through the problem in detail.

And because this is a form that tells us how people move through our quiz, it has to have a reCAPTCHA box to tick. Please confirm that you are not a robot!

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What the three little pigs have to teach us available in print, as an ebook and audio.

Get the book

A quick read, deceptively brief. None of the usual formula of using several examples to support a theory. This is a story about every business which you will be thinking about long after you close the back cover.

Business books are significantly more effective* when they are read in hardcopy. With its bright yellow cover, this one will be visible on your desk or dropped on the coffee table – it will be calling you to read it and implement the wisdom within!

*Big claim, based on donkey's years of experience.

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