Sometimes, we often see problems as a simple things and easy to solve, but actually many problems/ issue needs deeper thought. They may contain more complex factors that need resolving and defining. One way to cut to the core of the problem or issue is to clearly define it as a problem statement. The problem statement should refer to the main likely impact on your organization, including possible impact on your corporate reputation or ability to continue operating, as well as on your financial standing (Harrison, 2005).
From the sight of PR, fact finding and defining problems are the very first important step to encounter issues. Issues are possible to evolve through five stages lifecycle: early, emerging, current, crisis and dormant (Dougall,2008). As the issues moves through the first four steps, it will started to attract public attentions and become more difficult for the company to manage the issues. If a company or organization issue management process are able to detect issues in the earliest stages, more response choices are available for the decision makers. As the issue matures, position of the issue become more entrenched and more stakeholders, publics and other influencers expands and the option for the issue handling are shrinking.
Ask the basic 5W + 1H questions (Why, What, When, Where, Who, How) to defining problems. Or you can do a research by asking people some questions relating to the issue or develop questions to yourself while analyzing data.
In trying to defining problems, avoid laying the blame on individual or groups, it will make the situation get worse. Fault finding invariably provokes people’s defense mechanisms, resulting in defensive and antagonistic attitudes. It is also important to pay attention to people who affected by the issues - issues may arise because it created impact to someone. For example, who gets the most impact of the issue, that is the one whom we must give attentions the most - or issue might evolved more complex. Having issues evolved, it will affect the company image. People may think that the company are having no compatibility to manage problems, public trust started to diminish, and it is also possible for the company to stop operating.
You may feel the problem is simple and obvious, and it may well be, but quite often problems prove to be complex, with several interrelated causes, and so you will want to ensure you have got to its core. If you are dealing with an interdepartmental committee, you may find that the committee members own views are colored by the way the problem affects their area (where they stand depends on where they sit!), and therefore it is important to reach agreement on the core problem. The answers to the key questions will enable you to succinctly summarize the main facts of the problem in a sentence or short paragraph. Write or type your summary because the act of turning it into words on paper helps to clarify your thoughts and the thoughts of the people who have briefed you. Ensure your problem summary or statement is written objectively. Don’t get drawn into offering initial thoughts about the solution until you have learned enough facts to do so confidently. At the least, you can say they are only your initial, tentative thoughts and that you need to do some more preparation before you can develop goals, objectives and recommended action (Harrison, 2005).
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