Ignoring Problems

Why do people refuse to acknowledge the existence of certain problems?

They truly may not regard it as a problem. This often occurs when one side is results-oriented [e.g., executives] and the other is process-oriented [e.g., HR professionals and lawyers]. The process freaks hate violations of rules and procedures. The results freaks think such violations aren't that big of a deal if the results were achieved.

They may not want to recognize the problem. Acknowledge a problem and you may be expected to do something about it. That involves extra work. These people may take action if no one else is around to handle matters but if the responsibility can be foisted off on another party, they will back off. In many cases, they may be so afraid of a possible problem that denial is a form of stress-reduction.

They may want to avoid confrontation. Many solutions involve confronting people. That can be unpleasant.

They may honestly believe that addressing the problem is not their responsibility. In many cases, they have crafted a very narrow definition of what falls into their realm.

They may not care. There are people who go through life with a "Whatever" approach. (Pray that they aren't your co-workers or, even worse, your boss.)

They may have been punished for taking action in the past. When people fear to take initiative, expect to see a lot of upward delegation.

They may have insufficient resources to handle the matter. This can be a cop-out or a realistic assessment of priorities.

They may have a skewed or outdated sense of priorities. That's why priorities need to be frequently discussed.