A solution offered - without regard to the real problem

The "cookie cutter" syndrome when it comes to providing solutions. . .

Have you ever found yourself channel-surfing late at night, to find that you land on a program where a charismatic “guru expert” skillfully pontificates and lectures to a mesmerized TV audience on the value of his/her knowledge base and offerings? The pre-rehearsed sermon we hear from the presenter assures us, that as an expert on the subject, he/she miraculously has the solution to our problems and woes, and if only we’d 1) grab the phone and take action, and 2) fork up our credit card number, we’ll receive the illuminating and life-changing book (possibly autographed), the 6-volume DVD set, and even a bonus package ("if you call right now").

Having spent most of my career as a professional “problem solver” in the finance and operations field, I’ve found that things just aren’t that simple. I wish they were, but problems and challenges are unique - they come in all shapes and sizes. And it’s sometimes difficult to really get to the heart of the issue. It can take time and effort, and often the quick short answer may be the wrong one. Consequently, when it comes to solutions - one size does not fit all. Just like a pair of glasses, everyone’s circumstances are unique and the “prescription” for solving their particular problem may be a little different.

That said, it doesn’t seem to stop the mass marketing frenzy to pedal “canned solutions” to anything, from financial planning/relief/empire-building to medical self-help/wellness. Sure, there’s some general fundamentals and best practices that make sense in life, and we should try to follow them. But too often we hear these media moguls spout words like “never” and “always”, combined with phrases like “if only you follow my advice”, which ends up sounding like the medicine show barker claiming that the tonic “cures whatever ails you.”

Why are solutions marketed this way? Probably because it’s like “spamming” - simple, easy, cheap, large-scale, and somehow/somewhere it must work. But that doesn’t make it right.

Sure, there’s nothing wrong with mass-production, off-the-shelf, commoditization of certain things. But today, more than ever, with our complex world and all of its moving parts, when it comes to important matters and we’re looking for advisory services, we need to work with quality providers who first listen and endeavor to understand our problems, our pain-points, and our unique circumstances. Then (and only then) should we expect (and allow) them to develop customized solutions that are tailored to our needs. If it doesn’t happen in that order, then “the cart is in front of the horse”, and we need to re-evaluate those key provider(s).

You wouldn’t want your doctor to prescribe a prescription before he/she reviews your charts/history and fully/accurately diagnoses your ailment, especially if you have deathly allergies.. Likewise, you shouldn’t allow the key advisors in your resource network to prescribe "cookie cutter" solutions to you or your entity before fully diagnosing your unique problems/situation.

The lesson - pick your advisory team wisely, and hold them accountable to provide solutions that are continually customized to you and your situation.

And you can flip a coin on whether you get the new iPhone or the Android, or watch a late night infomercial with a "talking head' to decide.