What Problem Are You Actually Solving?
The Best Technology Decisions Aren't Really About Technology
I think we tell ourselves a story about how organizations buy technology.
We imagine leaders discovering a new tool, getting excited about the possibilities, and deciding to bring it into the business.
But really, most technology purchases don’t begin with excitement. They start with a realization like, “I can’t keep doing this forever. There has to be a better way.”
By the time a leader starts seriously evaluating a new tool, they’ve often been living with the underlying problem for months or even years.
Most Technology Decisions Start with Frustration
Good technology simply gives language to define a problem that already exists. A lot of times, leaders don’t fully understand or articulate a problem until they see something that helps them name it.
Maybe you’ve been frustrated because everyone still comes to you for approval, or you’ve noticed that newer employees need more coaching than your managers have time to provide. Maybe you’re growing quickly, but you’re worried about maintaining the same client experience that helped your firm become successful in the first place.
On the surface, those seem like separate challenges, but sometimes they’re all symptoms of the same underlying issue.
Suddenly, “everyone keeps copying me on emails,” becomes: “we have too much knowledge concentrated in a few people.”
“Managers are overwhelmed,” turns into: “our development model isn’t scaling.”
“We’re growing too fast and something feels off,” becomes: “We’re struggling to create consistency as the firm expands.”
Once you can really articulate the problem, a new conversation about solutions begins.
The Right Solution Starts with the Right Problem
The solution itself almost doesn’t matter. The important thing is understanding what problem you’re actually trying to solve.
The firms that get the most value from new tools are the ones that have done the work to become deeply aware of the challenges holding them back.
Technology just gives leaders a new way to see them.
