Bad decisions and bad ideas happen, but sometimes a good-intentioned plan backfires colossally. Sometimes, the incentives you put in place to solve a problem make the situation devolve in a way you never expected. When an attempted solution exacerbates the problem, it’s called the Cobra Effect.
When the Cobra Effect takes effect, it can cause tension in the workplace. Whether you saw the issue coming from a mile away or have no idea what went wrong, there will be frustrations abound. Let’s take a look at how the Cobra Effect can cause problems in the workplace, and how to avoid those problems, to begin with.
Problem 1: Feeling Ignored or Unheard
When the Cobra Effect sinks its teeth into a company, the lower-level employees often feel their managers would have avoided the issue entirely if they’d consulted them. Though managers and executives like to think they maintain a complete bird’s-eye view, their lofty perspective obscures the everyday problems their employees experience.
Almost any employee in a large company has experienced corporate making decisions and implementing plans they immediately recognized as flawed. Though corporate obviously had the company’s best interest at heart, they clearly missed something their lower-level employees didn’t take for granted.
This issue isn’t limited to large companies, however, and may feel more acute in a smaller business. When your employees and coworkers feel you have a direct line to them, a personal feeling of neglect or betrayal may compound their frustration.
To Avoid, Consult Employees
The way to avoid this problem is pretty straightforward: talk to your employees. Though you can’t talk to everyone, try to consult different people across different levels of the company. If you run a larger company, you may consider sending out a quick survey so you can gauge how much or little your employees approve of your idea.
In a smaller business, you may want to gather everyone together for a meeting. Be straightforward and tell your employees you’re looking for any potential problems you’ve missed. Even if you disagree with your workers, let them talk. Now is not the time for arguing or refuting their points, now is the time to gather and consider their ideas.
Problem 2: Neglecting One Department in Favor of Another
Let’s say your sales team is having a problem where the CRM is randomly deleting invoices. To fix this problem, you decide to switch to a different CRM. This fixes the problem…until you realize this CRM doesn’t fit the marketing team’s needs at all.
Unfortunately, it’s all too common that a solution for one team or department causes problems for another. When you focus on solving one problem, it’s easy to get tunnel vision and forget ancillary factors.
To Avoid, Ask Who Else It Affects
Before implementing your solution, ask yourself if there’s any way the solution could affect another team or department. Even if it seems like a small effect, consult with someone from that team before implementing the solution.
Problem 3: Frankly, Just a Poorly-Conceived Plan
Let’s face it: sometimes a plan’s just bad. Someone gets excited about their idea, then rushes to implement it before it’s fully baked. Though their intentions may be pure and their concept may be good, the implementation is everything.
When a poorly conceived plan makes it through the safeguards and heads towards fruition, it will inevitably lead to frustration, confusion, and various kinds of tension.
To Avoid, Pause and Think Again
You’ll want to employ second-order thinking. Take a moment to be analytical, critical, and skeptical. Look at your plan from a distance and think about the following:
- The who, what, when, where, why, and how. Who’s going to be in charge of this plan? What are the steps needed to complete it? When will it be done? Where will it be done? Why does each step need to be the way it is? How will it get done?
- What are your assumptions? Is there anything you’re taking for granted, assuming everyone agrees on or didn’t spend much time thinking about? If so, slow down and unpack those assumptions. You may find they’re not safe to assume, after all.
- What could go wrong? You need to anticipate potential problems and get ahead of them. Have contingencies in place, or find a way to circumvent those issues altogether.
- Are there any external influences to consider? Nothing exists in a vacuum. Though your plan may seem foolproof on paper, there’s always a chance something will affect it from the outside.
Once you consider all these questions, you should have a good idea of whether or not your plan is fully formed. Remember that not all problems are urgent. If you can, take time with your solutions.
In Summary
The Cobra Effect can cause numerous problems in the workplace and the customer base. Unless you keep careful tabs on your plans, you may find something coming back to bite you. Fortunately, avoiding it isn’t some complicated ordeal, it’s just talking to the right people, or slowing down to think things through. Taking these simple steps will put you on the right track to avoid huge mistakes.