What tools are in your belt?

Like all tinkerers, I have a favorite tool. Mine is a particular brand of folding utility knife. It cuts, shaves, whittles, scrapes, peels, and so much more. It’s simple, predictable and easy to use. It also fits my hand perfectly and makes the most satisfying clicks when I open and close it. My gyroscopic cordless screwdriver is a close second (kudos to a screwdriver that’s smarter than I am, but I digress).

I have a completely different relationship with my 3D printer. It’s neither simple, predictable nor easy to use. There are enough different settings to make your head spin. And if you need to create your own 3D model to print, that means learning to use CAD software. Even when you’ve been through the drill dozens of times, the next print may not turn out like the last one for any number of reasons. But if you’re trying to create a rapid prototype of a part, or your kiddo is getting ready for a robotics competition, 3D printing can be one of the best tools available. It certainly does that better than my utility knife ever could.

There’s often value in using the tool that’s most familiar to you, and sometimes you have no choice but to make do with what you have on hand. That explains why photographers are fond of saying, “The best camera is the one you have.” Yet in some situations, investing the time and resources to acquire and learn to use a new tool is essential to help you get a good result.

The same principles work in our professional and personal lives. From the earliest of ages, we learn basic skills like speaking, writing and arithmetic, and we learn how to use basic tools like phones, televisions and email. As we move into adolescence and adulthood, we add to this. We may pursue higher education, professional certifications and training programs. We learn to drive a car (some of us even know how to drive a stick shift!) and use more complex software. Some skills and tools are useful in a wide variety of situations. Project management, financial forecasting and budgeting, statistical analysis, needs-based selling, negotiating, interviewing, networking, conflict resolution and meeting facilitation are just a few examples. Other skills, like graphic design, computer programming and public speaking, are more specific. Learning which skills or tools to use in which situations and when to add skills or tools to your repertoire can help you increase your effectiveness.

Here's an example. Early in my tenure as a business owner, I tried using a metrics-based performance management meeting format for regular meetings with a key operations/administrative staff member. I learned the hard way that framework was the wrong tool for the job. Much of this staff member's responsibility involved tasks that weren't easily measurable and required the cooperation of other team members not directly under her control. She found the process frustrating, so I dropped it. Years later, I came to realize that the best regular line of communication for her was for me to simply sit with her and let her tell me what was on her mind, what she needed help with, and what she thought I needed to focus on. Basically, I just needed to spend more time as an active listener...I needed the simple, folding utility knife rather than the 3D printer.

So how can you make better decisions about what skills and tools use in particular situations? Here are some things to think about:

• What skills or tool(s) have you used in similar situations in the past? How well and how consistently have those skills or tools worked? How do other members of your team feel about working with those tools?
• What other skills or tools might be useful in this situation? What are the pros and cons of using those skills or tools? How long and what would it cost to acquire those skills or tools?
• Can you find a colleague or professional proficient in the necessary skills or tools to help you work through the current situation?

If you lead an organization, you can ask similar questions as it relates to your organization:

• What tools and skills does the organization routinely use, and how well do they work?
• Are there opportunities to expand or improve the use of the existing tools and skills within the organization?
• Could other tools or skills help your organization become more effective?
• What would it cost to add those tools or skills? Could you train current members of your team, or would you need to hire a professional familiar to do that?

Being intentional about how you unleash your inner tinkerer will help you make better choices about which tools to use and when to go get some new ones.