The Mall Map Theory
August 25, 2009
A corporation finds itself in a problem situation and instead of wondering how it happened, it must now answer the question. “What Now?”
With all the complications facing us today, many times we find ourselves focusing too much on “how did this happen” and not enough on “what now?”
Several months ago I was meeting with a vice president of a large corporation to plan a series of sessions that I would present to his organization.
When I asked him about the major problems facing his group, he told me that through a series of events – some beyond their control – they were now facing a very difficult situation. What’s more, his group was spending way too much time pointing fingers and not enough time resolving the situation.
He then discussed with me an approach he often uses when he finds himself facing similar challenges. He calls it the “Mall Map Theory.
At the entrance of most large malls, he explained, you’ll find a large map showing the locations of all the stores and, perhaps, a listing of the stores by category. More importantly, you’ll find a large red circle with the words “You are here.”
You see, it really doesn’t matter how you got to the mall – whether you drove, took a bus, or caught a ride with friends. It doesn’t matter what compelled you to go to the mall in the first place. What does matter is that at this point in time, “you were here” and the next decision you need to make is “what now?”
Handling difficult situations is similar to facing the mall map. It isn’t always necessary to understand why a problem occurred, or how you got into the situation in the first place. You can take time to analyze this when the crisis is over. Instead, the immediate need is to answer the question, “What now?”
The next time you find yourself facing a difficult problem, don’t ruminate over why it happened. Instead, take a step back and look at the big picture. This may offer you some insight on how you can resolve the issue. Then perhaps, you’ll have a little extra time to see how this theory really works at the mall. Happy shopping!
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