“Triage” is a medical term, but conceptually can also be used as an approach for any leader as they attack problems that they deal with almost on a daily basis.
If you go back to the history of the concept of triage, it actually underscores something else leaders are interested in for their organizations— and that is innovation.
What is innovation?
Innovation is change that brings on a new level of performance. -Peter Drucker
During the American Civil War with massive casualties accruing, along came a Union medical officer by the name of Jonathan Letterman. Letterman was innovative. He invented the first field ambulance, he reorganized the Medical Service Corps to more effectively treat the wounded, but it was creating the concept of triage that might have been the most important.
What is triage?
Well at any mass casualty event, as casualties are arriving, the medical personnel have to divide casualties into three groups.
Terminal— Those who are about to die. They may be comforted but there’s no hope of them recovering.
Wounded— Those who are seriously wounded and need immediate attention. If we attack their problems immediately they have a higher chance of survival.
Lightly injured— Those who have minor injuries and require some basic first aid to keep them stable until we can further address their injuries.
Letterman instituted this for the Union army. As a result, more Union soldiers recovered, which over the long term had a great effect on the war and the Union’s eventual success.
Now how can that be applied to day-to-day problem solving?
As a leader sits down each day and considers the problems that he/she must confront, they might consider looking at their problems like the concept of triage.
Is this problem terminal?
“Is this a problem that actually has been overcome by events? There’s not much more I can do about this except think about consequence management. How can my organization adapt to what is now a new reality? This is now terminal in terms of solving it.”
Is this a problem that can be deferred?
“Is the timing for dealing with this problem not right? Frankly, is it a more tactical or operational problem that should be dealt with by somebody else? Whereas I, as the head of the organization, want to focus my attention, my energies, on those things that are strategic.”
Is this problem existential?
“Is this problem actually a threat to the long-term existence of my organization and therefore we have to take immediate action? Is this something that is overcome by events? It is one that’s not right? Is this a problem that’s existential?”
This is a framework that leaders can use.
Having said that, leaders also need to recognize that some of the problems that they’re going to be confronted with particularly at the strategic level are so called ‘wicked problems’.
These are problems that aren’t going to be solved. These are problems that are going to be managed. Imagine a person who has a long-term medical malady. We’re not going to solve their particular problem, but we can make adjustments to their lifestyle or medication that will put them in a particularly good position.
That is another thing that leaders might think about when dealing with a problem. But a leader that does not think through how to address problems may suffer traumatic consequences for their organization.
We want to hear from YOU! How can you apply to concept of triage to your duties as a leader? Or how has the concept of triage been helpful to you throughout your leadership? Share your comments below.