Vermont is using some creative thinking to handle its budget issues. Pensions (as you all know) are becoming one of the biggest burdens on State budgets. Legislatures are either cutting existing pensions (which is likely not legal) or creating multi-tiered pension systems where newcomer’s pension benefits are significantly reduced (This will have the effect of driving new people away from government). State employees we’ve talked to (and the unions that represent them) feel both undervalued and infuriated by these moves.
We recently ran across this article from stateline.org which describes how Vermont sat down with their unions to jointly resolve part of their budget crisis. A little outside the box thinking went a long way. Kudos to Vermont for thinking creatively and turning a potentially adversarial situation into a win for both parties.
Are you applying creative solutions to your problems?
Should budget shortfalls mean you cancel that project you’ve been planning? Counter intuitively (and with a few conditions) we say no. In our experience lack of funds actually leads to more successful projects. Without money you:
Focus on simplicity – you’re not likely to look for the “Cadillac” solution, you can’t afford it. Simple solutions tend to be easier to implement.
Encourage staff participation – you won’t be able to afford, nor will you need, an army of consultants to implement your simple solution. Your staff will have to take on added project responsibility to get things done. There’s nothing like having skin in the game to make your staff fight for success.
Use the wisdom of your own people – you can’t buy your way out of the problem so your approach likely has to be home grown. You’ll be relying on the creativity that exists within your organization to complete this project. When solutions are home grown they are easier to sell internally and generally a better fit for your needs.
Better utilize the funds that do exist – when resources are scarce you pay greater attention to them. You are forced to track every dollar spent on the project which in turn means you are likely to spend your money where it will do the most good.
Of course lack of funds will limit the kinds/size of projects you take on. You’re not likely to re-engineer your entire Medicaid system. But…what about rewriting those out-of-date procedures manuals? How about revisiting your policies? What if you could re-engineer a few of those inefficient processes? Lack of funding, while not ideal, is the reality we all now face. It shouldn’t stop your projects and can even help them to be successful.
Edward de Bono believes thinking is a skill that can be improved. He provides strategies for doing so in his book “Six Thinking Hats”. According to de Bono the problem we face with our with thinking is “We try to do too much at once, Emotions, information, logic, hope and creativity all crowd in on us. It’s like juggling with too many balls.”
To avoid this jumbled thinking de Bono proposes that when you approach a problem you play only one of five roles at any given time. Namely pretend to be a person that thinks only:
- Factually
- Emotionally,
- Pessimistically,
- Optimistically, or
- Creatively.
One of the key assumptions of the book is that thinking is a team sport. De Bono proposes that each member of a team wear one of the five “hats” mentioned above and the thinking occurs as a group discussion. The facilitator of the thinking team wears the “sixth hat” and guides the team. It is the facilitator’s job to set the stage for a productive session and make sure the team stays focused.
We have used de Bono’s techniques in our facilitated brainstorming sessions with clients and find they help raise ideas that might not emerge using other brainstorming approaches. We’ve also found the techniques useful without a team. Just permitting yourself some dedicated time wearing each of the five hats can help your thought process.
If the book has a down side it is in its description of the “sixth” hat – the facilitator role. Though it describes what the role is it doesn’t do a great job of describing how to perform this role. Facilitation is something that’s hard to learn from a book.
The book has been out over 20 years now but its techniques are timeless and it’s an easy read. Time to read it (again?) and bring the techniques to your next brainstorming session.
