Now You See 'Em, Now You Don't

Here's a "Nature of the Universe" question -- applied to business:  why is it that a problem tends to disappear or cannot be reproduced when you seek help from a professional?

Have you experienced these?

• You make an appointment to see a doctor for your knee pain, and on the day of the visit you don't have the pain.

• You have a tech problem which can't be recreated when you finally get tech support.

• Your home appliance has malfunctioned, but works fine when the repair person arrives.

It’s a universal dynamic we've all faced. These are “now you see it, now you don’t” problems -- and they have a lot in common with business challenges. 

In business, just like in life, not all problems show up when and where you want them to. Sometimes, issues are intermittent or only occur under certain conditions. This unpredictability can wreak havoc on resource management and profitability.

Imagine your IT team chasing down a bug that only appears randomly. How do you allocate your best people to fix something you can’t even see? The result is often wasted time, misdirected effort, and frustrated teams. Over time, this can lead to burnout and a sense that you’re always putting out fires instead of making real progress.

Every minute spent troubleshooting an elusive issue is a minute not spent creating value. If a technical glitch takes down your website for just a few hours, that’s potential revenue out the window. Even worse, if the problem can’t be reproduced, it might keep coming back -- each time costing you more in lost sales and customer trust.

When teams are stuck in reactive mode, chasing after problems that come and go, it’s hard to focus on strategic priorities. Projects get delayed, deadlines slip, and the whole organization can feel like it’s spinning its wheels.

The next time you’re frustrated by a disappearing problem-at home or at work -- you’re not alone.  Here's a couple ideas on dealing with these dynamics:   

1. Document Everything:
Just like snapping a photo of that error message or recording your symptoms, businesses should document issues as they arise. Good data helps teams spot patterns and solve problems faster.

2. Communicate Clearly:
Vague descriptions lead to wasted time. The more specific you can be about what’s wrong and when it happens, the easier it is for experts to help.

3. Plan for the Unexpected:
Build flexibility into your schedules and budgets. Sometimes, you won’t be able to fix a problem on the first try-and that’s okay. Having contingency plans keeps projects moving forward.

4. Focus on Prioritization:
Not all problems are created equally. Make sure your teams are spending time on the issues that matter most to your bottom line and long-term goals.