I often heard the phrase “silver bullet” from clients. ”We don’t expect a silver bullet, but…” “Such and such [solution to a problem] isn’t a silver bullet, but we should at least try it.”
I think the term comes from folklore about werewolves, allegedly killed by said silver bullet. Those silver bullets might have been a little difficult to come by for the average villager, but, once found, eliminated the werewolf infestation quicker than Raid gets rid of cockroaches. Monster killers have always carried silver bullets, so whether you were Dean and Sam Winchester of the television series Supernatural, or Abraham or Gabriel Van Helsing (vampire killers of multiple movies), or Clayton Moore in the classic television series The Lone Ranger, Silver Bullets-R-Us.
In business, the silver bullet is a simple but sure-fire solution to a complex and/or chronic problem. Once you use it the problem goes away completely. I heard the term in the following scenarios, all of which should be avoided:
- Jumping to a solution before understanding the root cause
- Managing by the latest fad
- Trying yet another problem-solving methodology when the “going gets tough”
Jumping to Solutions
In process improvement, one indicator of a well-written problem statement is that everyone who hears it wants to help solve the problem. As human beings, though, we frequently describe ourselves as “problem-solvers” when we really are “solution-finders.” And sometimes our solutions go looking for a problem to solve. So all too often we hear a problem, equate the problem with one we have seen before, and propose the solution to that problem as the solution to this one.
Sometimes these silver bullet solutions even work, which reinforces our tendency to jump to the solution before understanding the root cause of the problem. However, when the silver bullet fails we typically suggest a different silver bullet, not realizing that the failure was due to a lack of understanding of the problem. This leads to stops and starts in process improvement, as well as in bigger problem-solving like business strategy. People have a tendency to fix symptoms, but miss the underlying problem. It’s all because we fall in love with our silver bullet.
Managing by Fad
“Here comes the flavor of the month.”
This was how I was often greeted as a consultant in my first foray on the frontline. I was sometimes insulted, but recognize it now as “change program fatigue.” Many companies overuse consultants, and many managers are always looking for the next “shiny new thing.” To be fair, consultants too often have invented new service offerings as the revelation everyone has been missing until now. Recognize these?
| Re-Engineering | Economic Value Added |
| Lean | Six Sigma |
|
MBWA (management by wandering around) |
Innovation |
| Rapid Application Development | Matrix Management |
| Delayering | Empowerment |
| Balanced Scorecard | Management by Objectives |
| Agile software development | Theory Z |
| Self-managed work teams |
All these methodologies have merit. They also all have their own jargon, deployment plan, key performance indicators (KPIs), and critical success factors (CSFs). Sometimes they require reorganizing and giving people new job titles, assessment criteria, evaluation and even certification. They voraciously consume an organization’s resources for a promised ideal gain.
As in investing, if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
While each of these methodologies can improve business performance, the maxim “less is more” is relevant. If a company viewed methodology as a silver bullet and used all of them, say one or two per year, it would likely achieve little except confuse the heck out of its workforce.
Why would any company use a silver bullet? Perhaps it faces an intractable problem like the need for a turnaround, or the CEO just wants to “spice things up a little.” I’ve heard frontline people cynically speculate about a new manager, “He’s new. He just needs a ‘quick fix’ to ‘declare victory’ before moving on to his next job. Just wait it out. This too shall pass.”
Whatever the reason, these mangers are jumping to an easy solution, a silver bullet.
Not Toughing It Out
Most methodologies require disciplined implementation. Discipline and hard work aren’t compatible with a belief in silver bullets.
So what happens is that midway through implementation, just when the first difficulties appear, someone says, “You know, this is just the problem that [Insert different methodology here] is intended to solve. We should try that.”
In other words, “This one is hard. Let’s try a new silver bullet.”
I suspect that looking for silver bullets and achieving consistent results are negatively correlated, like losing weight and trying every new diet that comes along. I’ve discovered the secret to losing weight for me is “Eat-less-move-more-stay-out-of-the-Häagen-Dazs.” That’s not easy for me, of course, but it does address the root cause of the problem.
I think this exploration will cause me to add a couple of lines to that mantra:
There are no Silver Bullets. Stick with it. Persistence is the only thing that pays off.
Nice post, Alan. I think persistence is key in most things we try to accomplish.
Thank you, Eugenia