In this video, we're going to talk about problems and where they come from. Of course, all of us have our own problems. But the first thing we need to do is explain exactly what a problem is in a business or professional sense. A problem exists when actual conditions differ significantly enough from expected conditions or standards to cause concern. Significantly enough means that a small amount of deviation from standards is to be expected and is acceptable. But when it reaches a certain level, it must be addressed. In other words, when something has really gone wrong, it needs to be fixed before things get even worse. The cause or causes of problems are generally not readily known and need to be investigated. An example of a problem is when a shift supervisor notices that the quantity of units produced per day is 10 fewer than expected. An investigation of the problem will typically raise questions about its specific nature and its severity. If a problem is severe enough. Swift and decisive action will be required to investigate and find a solution. If a problem is not severe, the supervisor may decide to monitor the situation to see if it gets worse. Solving a problem is often difficult and involves a good bit of uncertainty, both about the nature of the problem and whether a proposed solution will work. In other words, what exactly to do about the problem is not immediately clear. Problem-solving takes careful consideration skill, their also a balancing act, since severe problems need to be handled right away, but only after a thorough and possibly time-consuming investigation. Problems are inevitable. It should be no surprise that supervisors spend a lot of their time addressing them. For that reason, every supervisor needs to develop skills for effective decision-making and problem-solving. This module will help you learn and develop those skills. Supervisory problems typically fall into two classifications based on when and whether a supervisor needs to deal with them. Current problems have happened in the past and are just now being detected, or are occurring right now. Some examples are customer satisfaction ratings slipping below 95 percent or having too many units come off the production line that fail quality checks. These problems need immediate solutions. Potential problems are on the horizon, but may not happen and may still be avoided. Although they're not certain to occur, you need to be aware of how likely they are to occur and the disruption that may cause. For example, the supervisor may need to tell employees that their organization is adding an additional shift and will require all employees to work some nights. The supervisor can't be entirely sure, but expects the policy to be met with resistance. It is important to identify such potential problems in a dance and practice proactive problem-solving. The root cause of most problems is pretty well-known. More often than not, changes the culprit. Very few problems occur when everything is working as it should. But unfortunately at work and in life in general, everything eventually changes. Even when nothing goes wrong exactly. Changes occur in materials, technology, and equipment. Also employee attitudes and just about anything else you can think of. Equipment may begin to wear out, experienced employees may retire or the economy may take a downturn. Supervisors need to be constantly on alert of changes that are occurring, as well as cause effect relationships between changing conditions and valued results.