5 Steps to Fix Any Problem at Work | Anne Morriss | TED

翻译人员: Roisin Ling 校对人员: Gentle Yang

You’ve heard the phrase “move fast and break things.”

各位一定听过这句话，“快速行动，打破局面。”

Facebook made it famous.

这句话已经成为了脸书的企业文化之一。

But really, Mark just made the mistake of saying it out loud

但事实上，大声说出这句话并将其印在公司海报上

and putting it on company posters.

是马克（马克·扎克伯格，脸书首席执行官） 犯下的一个错误。

By the way, Mark and I are not on a first-name basis.

顺便说一句，我跟马克其实并不熟。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

But sometimes using the first names of our leaders

但有时候，对领导直呼其名能够提醒我们，

reminds us that leadership is a practice

所谓的“领导”其实就是一群不完美的人 在领导着另一群不完美的人。

of imperfect humans leading imperfect humans.

That's why it's so hard.

这就是做领导的困难之处。

How's it going, Elon?

埃隆，近来如何？

(Laughter)

（笑声）

"Move fast and break things"

“快速行动，打破局面“的想法仍然普遍为人们所认同，

is still a widely held belief that we can either make progress

但如果这样，无论我们是在自身进步 还是关照他人的过程中，

or take care of each other, one or the other.

That a certain amount of wreckage is the price we have to pay

对未来的创造都会伴随一定的损失。

for inventing the future.

My wife and I have spent the last decade helping companies clean up this wreckage.

我和妻子这十年来一直在帮助公司弥补这些损失。

And one of the main lessons from our work

而我们在工作中学到的道理之一就是

is that the trade-off at the heart of this worldview is false.

这种世界观根本就是错的。

The most effective leaders we know

据我们所知，最高效的领导者能够快速解决问题，

solve problems at an accelerated pace

while also taking responsibility for the success

又能兼顾客户、员工和股东的成功与幸福。

and the well-being of their customers and employees and shareholders.

They move fast and fix things.

他们的做法是“快速行动，修复局面”。

(Applause)

（掌声）

Now, what's come out of our work is something of a playbook

现在，我们要完成的工作就像是 一个以快速解决问题为内容的剧本，

for fixing problems quickly,

whether it's a broken company culture or a struggling friendship.

不管是拯救破败的企业文化，还是挽回一段友谊。

And so what I want to do with you today is invite you

那么我今天想要邀请各位

to try on this playbook over the course of an imaginary week.

在假想的一周里将这个剧本演一遍。

So how this is going to work is I'm going to give you an agenda

我会给你们一个日程表，

for each day of the week, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday.

周一、周二、周三......每天都包括在内。

You see where this is going.

你们需要观察这一周中事情的走向。

And then I want you to go home and try it

希望在座的各位能够回家尝试一下，

and see how much progress you can make.

看看自己能取得多少进步。

Does that sound reasonable?

听起来是个好主意，对吧？

OK.

很好。

I'm seeing some signs of consent, thank you.

感谢大家的认可。

Start by thinking of a problem that you're having right now

让我们先想想自己现在面临着什么问题，

that involves at least one other person,

关于孩子、合作伙伴、客户......，

your kids, your co-founders, your customers, etc.

只要与他人相关的都可以。

Now in our imaginary week,

然后我们假想的一周开始了，

it's now Monday morning.

现在是周一的早上。

Now Monday morning, it's a bad rap,

虽然周一的早上总是令人讨厌，

but we like to think of it as the gift of renewal

但我们可以将它看作每七天一轮的重生之日。

that comes around every seven days.

(Laughter)

（笑声）

On Monday, your task is to figure out what your real problem is,

在周一，你们的任务是搞清楚真正的问题是什么，

which may not be the problem that you thought you had

你们得出的答案可能和一分钟前所想的已经不一样了。

just a minute ago.

Because here's the thing.

毕竟人类往往对自己的想法过于自信，

As human beings,

we tend to be overconfident in the quality of our thoughts.

Particularly when it comes to diagnosing our own problems.

尤其是在判断自己所面临的问题的时候。

"My investors don't get it."

”投资方没明白我的意思。“

"My Gen Z employees are entitled."

”这些年轻员工简直不像话。“

"My dog is mad at me."

”我的狗冲我大吼大叫。“

Let's find out if you're right.

现在就来看看你到底是不是对的。

The thing that's going to help you out most today is your own curiosity.

目前来说对各位帮助最大的就是好奇心了。

So turn that original diagnosis, "My Gen Z employees are entitled,"

所以，让我们将原先的判断 ”这些年轻员工简直不像话“

into a question rather than a statement.

从陈述句变为疑问句。

"What's going on with my Gen Z employees?"

”这些年轻员工怎么了？“

Now your next move sounds obvious,

接下来要做的事情似乎显而易见，

but you might be surprised to learn how infrequently people actually do it.

但各位可能会震惊于现实中人们几乎不会这样做。

Talk directly to the other people who have a stake in your problem.

我们要做的是直接和与这个问题相关的人进行交谈，

Ask some things you might not normally ask in polite company,

问一些在礼貌场合可能根本不会提到的事情，

things that require a little courage on your part.

这对我们来说需要一点勇气。

Now, as I look around the room, and I'm being a little presumptuous,

现在，环视四周，请允许我冒昧地说一句，

I suspect this is going to be hard for some of you.

我感觉，对在座各位当中的一部分人来说， 这么做有难度。

I get it, I come from a very WASPy family.

我能理解，因为我是在一个暴躁易怒的家庭中长大的。

There were three approved topics of conversation:

我们可以先从这三个话题聊起：

the pets, the weather,

宠物，天气，还可以聊聊汤姆·布罗考（美国著名新闻主播）。

and Tom Brokaw for some reason.

(Laughter)

（笑声）

But sometimes just a single brave conversation

但有时候，这样一次勇敢的交谈 就能让你面临的问题打开新的局面。

can reveal an entirely new structure to your problem.

Some of you will discover, for example,

比如，在座各位当中的一部分人会发现，

that you have a role to play

这个问题之所以会产生， 在一定程度上就是因为你自己。

in creating the problem that you're now solving this week.

Instead of your Gen Z employees being entitled, for example,

比如，与其说这些年轻员工不像话，

you might discover it's you who feels entitled.

你可能会发现自己才是不像话的那个。

To burn them out and pay them less than what they're worth,

看他们年纪小就和他们签订不公平的劳动合同，

simply because that was the broken work contract

压榨他们的精力，还不给他们相应的薪水。

that you put up with at their age.

(Applause)

（掌声）

I'm just spitballing up here.

我只是举个例子。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

But what I do know is that whatever it is you learn today,

但我知道，无论你们今天学到了什么，

you're going to be closer to understanding

你们都会更容易理解

what's really getting in the way of the relationship

真正恶化人际关系、破坏组织和谐

or the organization or the life you want.

或是阻碍你过上理想中的生活的到底是什么。

Alright, excellent first day, everyone.

第一天过得非常好，各位。

Get some rest.

让我们休息一下。

Now it's Tuesday.

现在来到了周二。

On Tuesday, your job is to run a smart experiment

在周二，大家的工作是进行实验，

in how to solve your problem.

尝试解决这个问题。

Start by creating a good-enough plan

一开始要制定一个好计划以增加成功的可能性。

to strengthen the relationship at the center of it.

Now, a good-enough plan is distinct from a perfect plan,

“好计划”不同于“完美计划”，

which is an elusive, fantastical creature

后者在现实生活中更加难以实现。

that has never actually been spotted in the wild.

We tend to think about problems through the lens of trust.

人们往往会从信任的角度考虑问题。

So one prompt that often helps on Tuesday

所以我给大家一个提示，

is what could you do tomorrow to build more trust than you did today?

明天做什么会让你获得比今天更多的信任呢？

For one team we were working with,

我们曾和一个团队一起工作，

they decided to stop texting each other about each other

他们开会开到一半才决定不要在会议上互相发短信了。

in the middle of meetings.

(Laughter)

（笑声）

Someone else we were coaching decided

在我们的鼓励下，

that it was time to come clean to his cofounders,

有一个人决定对合伙人坦白

that he was ready to move on from the business.

他准备放弃这项事业了。

Another leader decided that it was time for him to take full responsibility

还有个领导设计的产品造成了未曾设想的伤害，

for the unintended harms of a product that he'd designed.

他决定自己承担全部责任。

Is your good-enough plan going to work?

你制定的“好计划”会成功吗？

Probably not.

可能不会。

Statistically, not on the first try.

根据统计判断，可能不会第一次就成功。

That's why I'm giving you all a week to figure it out.

这就是为什么我给各位一周的时间去解决问题。

But also to make the inevitable, unavoidable mistakes.

我们可以允许一些无法避免的错误去发生。

The purpose of Tuesday is not to get it right.

周二的目的不是去把事情做对，而是去学习。

The purpose of Tuesday is to learn.

It's to get into the sandbox of your life and give yourself permission to play.

我们要进入生活的乐园中， 允许自己像个孩子一样玩乐。

Alright, go and have the adult beverage of your choice,

当然，也可以喝点酒，毕竟大家都是成年人。

which you have definitely earned.

Now it’s Wednesday.

接着我们来到了周三。

On Wednesday, your job is to do something that adults generally don't like to do.

在周三，各位的任务是去交新朋友。

It's to make new friends.

虽然成年人大都不太愿意做这件事，

But the research is really clear.

但研究表明，

That whatever problem you're trying to solve this week,

无论你这周要解决的是什么问题，

you're going to be better at solving it

和与你思维模式不同的人合作会更好些。

with people who don't already think like you do.

I know you've heard this before many times.

我知道各位对这番话都不陌生，

But today is your chance to practice.

而今天就是将它付诸实践的时候。

So describe your good-enough plan, the one you came up with yesterday,

所以呢，请各位将昨天制定的“好计划”

to someone whose life experience has been materially different from yours.

分享给一个与你人生经历大不相同的人。

If you've been at the company for a decade,

如果你在公司待了十年， 就和上周刚来的新员工聊聊吧。

talk to someone who started last week.

If you're a white partner, talk to a Black partner.

如果你是白人，就和黑人聊聊吧。

If you're queer like me,

如果你和我一样是弯的， 就和你能找到的最直的人聊聊吧。

talk to the straightest person you can find.

(Laughter)

（笑声）

Contrary to what you may have heard recently, they're everywhere.

可能和大家印象中不太一样， 这个世界上异性恋其实还蛮多的。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

(Applause)

（掌声）

And when you're done with that conversation,

这场谈话结束后，

have another conversation with someone else who's different from you

再找一个在其他方面与你不同的人聊天吧。

on some other gorgeous dimension of the human experience.

This is going to take you all day,

大家一整天只做这件事就可以了。

and some of you are going to be surprised to discover

在座各位当中呢，一部分人会很惊讶地发现

that it’s your favorite day of the week.

今天会是你在这一周中最喜欢的一天。

At the end of the day, you’re going to be smiling,

今天结束的时候，你的脸上会洋溢着微笑，

and your good-enough plan is going to be an even-better plan.

你的“好计划”也变成了“更好的计划”。

OK, now it's Thursday, good morning.

好了，现在周四了，早上好！

It's Thursday, you're unstoppable.

没错，现在是周四，我们不休息。

Thursday is storytelling day.

周四的任务是讲故事。

As humans, we need stories to make sense of change,

作为人类，我们需要通过故事来理解所发生的改变，

to find our place in the script of it.

也需要从故事中找准自己的定位。

Stories also help us to activate all the other people around us

我们还能通过故事去鼓动大家齐心协力应对变化。

whose help we're going to need with that change.

Stories have three parts: past, present, future.

故事分为三部分：过去、现在和将来。

We often skip over that past part in moments of big change.

在我们讲述一些巨大变化的时候， 经常会将“过去”这一部分跳过。

We did some work with Uber

在优步（美国一家科技公司）的领导层 遭遇众所周知的危机时，

when it was going through its very public crisis in leadership.

我们也参与了其中。

And when the new guy came in, the new CEO,

当新上任的首席执行官召开第一次全体会议时，

and hosted his first all-hands meeting,

he committed to retain the edge

他向大家承诺会保留优步原来的模式。

that had made Uber a force of nature.

Now, this line was met with thunderous applause.

听到他的选择，大家都松了一口气， 报以雷鸣般的掌声。

The applause of relief.

He also joined in a standing ovation for his predecessor,

当大家在会议上为他的上一任起立鼓掌时，

who also happened to be in the room that day.

他也同样站起来一起鼓掌。

I was so struck

我震惊于这个选择的强大效用。

by the grace of this choice.

And that's the word I want you to bring to your own storytelling.

我希望各位在讲述自己故事的时候也能做到这样。

Listen, Uber had serious problems to solve,

听着，每个看到新闻的人 都能看出优步面临着严重的问题。

as anyone reading the news could figure out.

But the people in that room had built something extraordinary,

但在会议上，新的首席执行官作出了非凡的选择，

and they had something real to lose in an uncertain future.

尽管这个选择会让优步在动荡的未来里有所失去。

Instead of setting himself up as some kind of company savior,

与其将自己打造成公司的拯救者，

the new guy honored that complicated truth.

他选择对难以处理的现状表示尊重。

Honor the complicated truth of the people around you,

当周围的人对你的远大计划表示怀疑时，

the ones who aren't so sure about all your big plans.

你应该尊重他们的看法，

Then tell us why you want to change things.

然后说出你想这样改变的原因。

Finally, tell us about the future in vivid and specific language.

最后，用生动而简洁的语言描绘一下未来，

Tell us what it's going to feel like when your story becomes our reality.

告诉他们，当这个故事变成现实时会是什么样子。

Alright, it's Friday.

好了，现在到了周五。

It's Friday, and you're almost done, I promise.

我保证，到了周五，各位就都完成得差不多了。

The payoff of Friday,

周五的结果，也就是说，

the payoff of this whole week of hard work

这一周辛苦工作的结果就是

is that you now get to move fast

你得快速行动了，

because you're far less likely to break things.

因为你已经不太可能打破局面了。

So do everything you decided to do over the last week,

所以就做你上周决定好的事情吧，

but now do it with a sense of urgency.

但要带着紧迫感去做。

Urgency releases the energy in the system.

紧迫感会让这个局面内所有人的能量释放，

It makes it clear to everyone that you take the problem seriously.

会让所有人都认识到你在认真对待这个问题。

So whatever administrative hurdles,

无论是在管理上遇到了什么困难，

whatever unproductive process is in the way of taking action today,

还是一些没用的进程阻碍了目前的行动，

just strip it out, just refuse to tolerate it.

直接不去管它，也不要忍着推迟行动。

People ask us all the time about the optimal timing for big change.

总有人问我们，何时才是进行改变的最佳时机。

And our answer is almost always the same.

而我们的答案几乎每次都是一样的。

How about now?

现在如何？

Now seems good.

现在就不错。

Take action now,

现在就采取行动，不管之后发生什么， 我们都能从中学到一些东西。

and then learn from whatever happens next.

And at the end of this day, at the end of this week,

等到今天结束，也就是这一周结束的时候，

your even-better plan has a chance of being a great plan.

”更好的计划“就有机会变成”最好的计划“了。

Alright, that’s it.

好了，假想的一周结束了。

That's your week.

Congratulations,

祝贺各位，你们做到了， 而且是在宝贵的休息时间做到的。

you did it, as you rest and recover, which is essential.

I want to leave you with one final thought.

最后我还想和各位说一点。

I spend my time

我花了很多时间帮助领导者改变和提高，

helping leaders to change and evolve.

And no one has ever said to me,

没有一个人对我说过，

"I wish I had taken longer and done less."

”真希望自己当初能花更多时间做更少的事。“

(Laughter)

（笑声）

What I do hear again and again is the opposite.

而与之相反的话我听过无数遍。

And so my invitation to you today is to practice.

所以我想请各位练习一下

To practice taking less time

如何花更少的时间

to do more of the things that will make your relationships and your teams

去做更多对你的人际关系、 团队合作和组织工作有用的事。

and your organizations stronger.

And to be honest, you have my blessing

我真诚地祝愿各位用一周多的时间就能搞定一个问题。

to take longer than a week to get it done.

What I don't want you to do

我不希望各位在一个问题上花几个月甚至几年的时间，

is to take months or even years,

which tends to be our default timeline for solving hard problems.

毕竟大家解决棘手难题的时候往往会将时间线拖长。

Most of our problems deserve a more urgent response.

大部分问题都应该得到更及时的回复，

Most of our problems deserve a metabolic rate

大部分问题都应该得到快速解决，

that honors the frustration and the mediocrity

毕竟在座各位当中，

and the real pain of the status quo for some of you.

有一部分人的现状实在是太令人懊恼、 庸庸碌碌、充满痛苦了。

Thank you.

谢谢各位。

(Laughter and applause)

（笑声和掌声）

So whether your name is Mark or Elon or Chris --

无论你叫马克、埃隆还是克里斯，

thank you for having me --

谢谢你们听完我的演讲，

or Anne,

当然也可以叫我的名字安妮。

find out what happens when you move fast and fix things

当你快速行动、修复局面的时候， 要弄明白到底发生了什么，

and decide that the moment that matters most is right now.

而且要知道，行动的最佳时机就是现在。

(Applause and cheers)

（掌声和欢呼声）