Troubleshooter reveals cards. Live like James Bond from today

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Productivity genius Oleg Braginsky in an exclusive interview with Lifehacker talks about his business - troubleshooting. This is still a rare phenomenon for the CIS market and attracts with its space fees, breakthrough results and life like James Bond.

It took almost a year to negotiate an interview with Oleg Braginsky: he is always busy. The first article about the genius of efficiency became so popular that it instantly went into the top 10 publications of Lifehacker, where it holds the rating for a whole year. Many did not believe that this was a real person and in interviews it was true. The credibility was confirmed by numerous comments on Facebook by Oleg's former colleagues and his acquaintances.

In this interview we will focus on our hero's business - troubleshooting.

Who is a troubleshooter? Simple and concise definition

- A person who solves impossible tasks.

How did you become a troubleshooter?

- At school, I realized that victories at the Olympiads give free attendance, and from the fourth grade I took prizes in all the subjects I was able to do. I prepared according to textbooks for teachers: I learned to solve complex problems in the allotted time, did my homework exclusively during recess, and learned poems without fail on the day of testing.

He attended a tourist club and ballroom dancing, participated in competitions and KVN, was the chairman of the pioneer squad, the Komsomol organizer of the school. Tourism taught versatility, dances - command, KVN trained impromptu, social load formed responsibility.

At the Kiev Polytechnic he worked in three departments for access to computer technology - he learned the knowledge of prominent scientists. The competition developed followers - they argued for weeks in search of the truth, corresponded on a planetary scale, wrote tons of paper with equations and algorithms.

They created the program code fast and compact, did not sleep for days, eliminated unnecessary commands, reduced bytes. I am proud of my colleagues of those years: everyone made a name, contributed to science, is successful in business.

The life of the hostel tempered: freshmen were beaten, their clothes were taken away, food was stolen. There were not enough working burners on the stoves, they themselves repaired the plumbing, inserted broken windows and doors. They rocked and learned to fight in basements, rebuffed senior students and district brigades. Having defeated hazing, he became a trade union organizer of the Faculty of Informatics, headed the student parliament of the largest university in Ukraine.

He studied languages - communicated with foreign students in their native dialects. At first, on the fingers, clumsily and amusingly, later - he solved the internecine conflicts of fellow countrymen without translators.

He wrote computer games, BRAVO antivirus and HED hacker editor. The programming did not allow us to relax: viruses appeared on a weekly basis, hackers threw wishes through Fido. An atmosphere of intellectuality and comradely mutual assistance reigned, we spared friends and spared no effort to change the world.

They did not ask for money and did not look for sponsors, they set a goal and earned for it together. We bought books together and stood in queues for weeks, replacing each other, believing that everything depends on us.

Later, he was invited to the corporation: he headed IT, analytics, security, "creditors", "risk takers", lawyers, retail, research and operational divisions. Participated in the formation of shareholders' businesses, helped clients and partners. People around me got used to coping with difficulties, they began to transmit difficult cases.

What experience did you have before?

- I'll reveal my cards: the hopes of those around us were ahead of the experience.

In the 90s, we wrote programs, tearing out the insides of already written ones, pulling out successful fragments. They called us hackers because they easily opened software protections. Representatives of Western companies had no idea: skills are not from skill, but from a lack of textbooks.

During the night, they dealt with the code of specialized controllers and transputers, they said about us that we knew all programming languages, and the fees grew indecently.

In the 2000s, it was possible to write AlfaCheck - a program that made credit decisions in a split second, AlfaReporter, reflecting the performance of businesses and infrastructure in real time, to create robots that bypass the limitations of partner systems. He developed an anti-fraud formula that reduced non-payments by 10 times, created breakthrough solutions in the insurance and collection business, conducted client clustering and implemented loyalty systems for the largest national and federal chains.

Why is there a need for such people?

- Do you know a lot of hackers? I think not a single one. If they knew, they immediately came up with a problem for him.

The need is shaped by troubleshooters, demonstrating the seductive ease of solutions.

Do you know what friends and colleagues are capable of, who will you call when you meet a surprise? Competent. He will take it himself or recommend another performer, and after three handshakes - a troubleshooter.

Through 800 experiments in 100 days, I was able to create the most viewed personal profile on LinkedIn on the planet. Thousands of people every day discover me in search of rarely combined competencies - they will remember me in case of non-standard problems. I know the smartest specialists who sit as hermits in the shells of introversion, blaming the injustice of the universe - they did not bother to inform the world about themselves.

What are the key competencies of a troubleshooter?

- It's not about competence, but about complexity.

Trouble shooter is able to replace a team of experts with extensive practical knowledge and experience.

I have an Excel file where I collect competencies. There are 7,400 of them. I own a tenth, constantly working on building up. At the beginning of the development I get ridiculed by others, after a year I am considered an unquestioning expert.

Two well-known desk books and two secret books of the troubleshooter?

- Chinese treatises "The Art of War" and "" from the popular ones, I talk about the secret in my master classes. By the way, a marathon of guest lectures has started - I have planned performances in 50 top universities.

How much does a troubleshooter cost?

- As much as the problems cost and the clients are willing to pay. A beginner could not form a price tag, so he took as much as was offered - usually above expectations. The rider gradually developed: a business class environment plus hourly pay.

Sometimes a slot of time is equal to the cost of a small SUV. When the counter ticks, the customer is respectful, decisive and mobile. Paying for the result is dangerous due to the delay in deadlines and the unattainability of implementation, the resistance of the client's team.

And if I am a beginner troubleshooter, how much should I charge from clients?

- Beginners do not exist: they coped with a difficult task outside their home organization - they became a troubleshooter. We solved the problem - get a fee. Failed - compensate for the inconvenience in order to part on a neutral note, otherwise you will get a chatty ill-wisher. Start at $ 100 an hour.

What was the biggest fee?

- Large (laughs): a function of the client's size and the size of the business. You could stop thinking about money and live comfortably, but the excitement in your blood does not allow you to relax.

What is the average ROI of a troubleshooter?

- Infinity. Brain clock pays off a hundredfold - troubleshooters are called when internal experts failed and industry consultants did not help. We are called "the last hope", and we are paid accordingly. I heard astronomical sums, I got up to 10% of the cost of the business.

Were there any cases when the client refused to pay or did not recognize the result of the work?

- Over the years, only one client has not paid. Returning, he offered a double fee. He didn't make a deal, the client lost his business, many people know about this - a useful example, science to others. The troubleshooter gets unlimited access to insider information without documents and in a short time, but I am not aware of any cases of abuse, even in case of default.

But non-recognition of the result is a common thing: our decisions are obvious. At first I got lost and argued with customers, experience prompted me to change tactics. I fix the moment before the decision is made public with the question "Do you know what to do now?" Having received a negative answer twice, I propose a way out. The problems disappeared.

What is troubleshooting about? Is it business process optimization, management reporting, or team building?

- All of the above and more. It is difficult to formalize the problem. Typical productions:

• The employees' eyes went out, what should I do?
• We need a completely new product.
• The market share is to be doubled.
• Competitors choke, no urine.
• Promote without a budget.

Most customers need interlocutors, not troubleshooters. The owners are afraid to demonstrate incompetence in front of friends and subordinates, tired of the formalism and bookishness of consultants. Some pay "to talk".

In each company, it is possible to improve processes, set up reporting, unite a team, but it is more effective to put a pinpoint needle than to do a series of general massages, combined with a dropper and taking vitamins.

How do troubleshooters find their clients?

- Clients find us themselves. We do not use business cards and avoid contacts. We speak at conferences and write articles. In 2015, he published 100 articles in 13 cycles, spoke at 30 conferences. There is an incoming stream.

There is an opinion that publicity is destructive for a troubleshooter. What do you think about this?

- Agree. Customers pay for the elegance of the solutions, which they often take for themselves.

The promoted troubleshooter is like a compromised scout - the appearance is alarming, and you cannot hide in the business class cabin: you will always meet acquaintances.

That is why I refused to interview you for a whole year. We do not need extra noise in our business and PR will not help - customers do not search for troubleshooters via the Internet.

Who are these troubleshooter's clients? What were the most unusual clients?

- Unique experts and companies from Fortune 500. In one case, they are looking for a non-competing interlocutor who will not use advanced scientific or craft developments, in the second, they tried the big four to no avail.

How do you manage to remain non-competitive so that you are not afraid to apply and give out secrets?

- They do not hide the symptoms of the disease from the doctor, the influential and wealthy do not hesitate to pay for advice - they buy the confidence of the examination. Preceded by a contact via LinkedIn or a call to a mobile - the date, country, industry, direct competitors are discussed. For a year after the project, I do not work in the same industry and geography without the permission of a previous client.

How many tasks have you already solved?

- Almost nine hundred in 25 years, each has a presentation, 150 are described in the profile. When asked about the availability of specific expertise, I take out an old presentation and supplement the profile with a project to avoid questions in the future.

How to distinguish a real troubleshooter from a “troubleshooter”?

- Trouble shooters talk more than the client, work for a percentage and talk about gaining experience. Trouble shooters don't bargain, don't give discounts, and don't compromise.

Compared to classic consultants like McKinsey, why are troubleshooters better?

- Consultants steal ideas from staff or foreign colleagues and put them into presentations. They work in teams, come back repeatedly and are not responsible for implementation. The brand is the mythical guarantor of applicability.

Trouble shooters personally tell the solution in front of the client, write in pencil on paper and show the experts “on the ground” what, when and, most importantly, how to do it. I have not met consultants making cold calls on the phone, editing sites at the machine, building supervisors making contracts for clients.

How does the work of a troubleshooter affect your personal life?

The pace of life, multicultural diversity, frequent movements, changing teams, time constraints, and challenging tasks sharpen the belligerence and hone intransigence.

- It's hard to get back to normal life - Formula 1 racers are bad drivers on the roads. I can read faces, gestures, voice, I have to forgive those close to me for clumsy attempts to deceive.

What personal issues do you solve with the help of troubleshooting?

- I try not to apply, so as not to get superiority. The world karate champion does not use skills in family disputes.

What are some examples of troubleshooting client tasks?

- The insurance company increased its portfolio of used cars, more and more appraisers were required, whose services were becoming more expensive due to the lending boom. They asked to "solve the problem." A small team created a system of equations, calculated coefficients of influencing parameters for car models, created a web service that accepts SMS. We advertised the short number 3344, to which they offered to send transport parameters for instant evaluation. The service has earned the popularity of competitors and car market hucksters who attacked the service with requests.

The insurance company got rid of the appraisers and got a legal opportunity to make an offer to subscribers who sent messages to the specified number.

Do troubleshooters go to sabbatical and downshifting? Do you know examples?

- Often. I made a couple of times around the world, dived along the equator, and climbed mountain peaks in a row. Then something breaks down, you understand that you are wasting and wasting your life, you want to return to strict suits, to smart conversations, you miss the temporary pressure.

What is the career development option for a troubleshooter?

- What is the sniper's career development option? Senior, chief, presenter? Career is about increasing pay and customer level.

If I want to be a troubleshooter, what are the first 10 steps I need to take on the way to the profession?

1. Blind typing - go through "SOLO on the keyboard", lines on the screen will pour from the brain.
2. Cursive - capture your thoughts and transcribe them discreetly.
3. Fast Reading - 5,000 pages to read before the meeting will become a routine.
4. Instant Scoring - Learn to see the order of the result in color.
5. Briefly - retell the meeting, book, movie in 30 seconds.
6. Algorithms - don't reinvent the wheel, check out the best practices.
7. Macros - do not waste time on setting the problem, program yourself.
8. Probability theory - learn to assess and mitigate risks.
9. Spatial Imagination - Don't solve a problem until you visualize it in three dimensions.
10. Foreign languages - each complements the soul and enriches consciousness.

Not someday or tomorrow. Get started today.

Is there any certification for troubleshooters? They are certified according to PMBOK

- I do not know about this. Qualification confirmation - previous victories. Surgeons are valued not for their diplomas, but for successful operations and healthy patients.

Does this profession have a chance to become a corporate position? For example, chief troubleshooting officer

- Unlikely. The mercenaries are skilled in a couple of skills, the best are lured into the market, after which one does not want to return. I have not met strong specialists in corporations who work for a long time in one position.

Experts inevitably turn into mediocre managers.

What does the troubleshooter do with the conflict of interest of its clients? For example, when in order to solve a problem it is necessary to dismiss the general director - the customer of the work

- There is no conflict of interest if you know who the customer is. I work for the owners, so I fired anyone, including the bosses.

How many people have you already fired?

- Directly - up to a thousand. Closing companies, leaving markets, relocating branches - tens of thousands.

Who is the Trouble Shooter? A lone wolf or a team player?

- More often a loner - only one is responsible for the result. I am lucky to have talented experts, so I create temporary teams without hesitation and hesitation. Glad to be surrounded by rising stars.

Can a troubleshooter open a company, something like a consulting company, which will solve problems for small businesses for a more acceptable fee?

- I am engaged in this - I am creating a school of troubleshooters. I plan to teach applied skills to thousands of people in order to weed out the hundreds of the best and create McDonald's troubleshooting for small entrepreneurs. Wrote 15 out of 21 master classes, starting from November a series of troubleshooting webinars.

Does the troubleshooter need an assistant or is he able to manage his own life?

- Desirable. Managing your life is easy, keeping customer promises - communication and logistical assistance is required.

Do you take as an apprentice? Where can I sign up?

- I take pupils - competition 1 500 for a place. Register on the site of the master classes. You will find the address yourself. Not found - you are definitely not for me.

If the country's leadership approached you to solve the problem of budget revenues, what would your action plan look like?

- We reduce the pressure, we ask you not to cheat, we start with powerful players:

1. Reduce taxes by 1%.
2. To declare illegal optimization of deductions to the budget.
3. Check the largest businesses, achieve payment execution.

Those who do not obey points 2 and 3 are punished, demonstrating inevitability. I warned you that troubleshooters' decisions are obvious.;)

So, again 10 tips for a novice troubleshooter that will solve your problems today:

1. Master blind typing - go through "SOLO on the keyboard", the lines on the screen will pour from the brain.
2. Learn cursive - jot down thoughts and take shorthand without anyone noticing.
3. Hone your fast reading - 5,000 pages of reading before the meeting will become a routine.
4. Learn instant counting - learn to see the order of the result in color.
5. Practice short formulation - retell an appointment, book, movie in 30 seconds.
6. Learn algorithms - don't reinvent the wheel, check out the best practices.
7. Use macros - do not waste time on setting the problem, program yourself.
8. Remember the theory of probability - learn to assess and mitigate risks.
9. Develop spatial imagination - don't solve a problem until you visualize it in three dimensions.
10. Learn foreign languages - they complement the soul and enrich the mind.