Don't Do Anything

First, let’s introduce a scenario. An acquaintance use a company’s computer to check his mail. One of them include virus, sent by Ransomware that infiltrated all business documents. This is the first time you experience such turbulence. The cryptolocker virus encrypted all documents, and provided instructions for how to decrypt them. This include paying $500 ransom for decrypting the files. The instruction was clear, and you might consider paying the ransom.

When experiencing problems – especially the unexpected ones – a common response is instant action. Negative events are inevitable. There is nothing anyone can do to stop it. But we can strategically mitigate its effect when it occurs. This is why one effective response is “be prepared”. It is an effective boy-scout strategy in all situations.

For example, when all files were “held hostage”, one action that mitigate – or neutralize – such incidence is having multiple backups prior to the infiltration. Backups can be on cloud, USB, memory card, or flash-drive. In the case of ransomware hacking the computer to encrypt all files, one tendency was to immediately act. It is part of the human nature.

Instant action is based on current information. It might be the most prominent action, based on limited data. Following encrypted files scenario, instructions were given before you’d get our files back. Based on such information, you can pay the ransom to get the files back.

However, paying the ransom sounds like a bad business. Because you can’t be sure that the files will be decrypted after ransom was paid. The only thing you know is you paid ransom, which might also led to the files being returned with additional viruses and demands for higher amount after some time.

Why will they do that? Because paying for it once means they can get more after some time. They can just “reactivate” the virus after 5 months, and demand for more money. This is why the first response is to retreat from the problem, and seek answers about it. It is mostly efficient to assess the problem, and see possible scenarios before deciding the best action. It helps to determine best action. When we know what the problem is, then we should strive after understanding it.

Understanding something gives in-depth knowledge that helps allocate focus on something specific that actually get to the root of the problem. Following the case, understand that paying the ransom can worsen the case because they can ask for more money next time. Imagine the possibility of them just encrypting the files again after 5 months, and demand for $1500 because they know you will pay. All they need to do is to embed virus/malware codes in the files that can be remotely activated after 5 months.

All these things can make you ask, “When do I act?” The time to act is when you’d know the best action to tackle current problem. When you don’t just know, but understand it.  They make it easy to choose the problem resolution strategy. For example, if you don’t understand something, then acting will be ineffective because understanding is the key that determine when we should do something. When understanding, you can evaluate different resolution options as explained in “Problem Resolution Formula”, to identify the best action. When you’d know best action, act on it.

In conclusion, people’s tendency to act during a problem is understandable. But it can be expensive to impulsively act in comparison to first step-back from the problem, in order to understand it. It tells the best action for solving it. Best action is after we understand it. When you understand the problem, and evaluate options prior to choosing the best one, then your response will be highly efficient, and problem-solving.