Courtesy Lighthouse Advisors LLC
The average person, when presented with a problem, immediately works to solve it. Geniuses (think Einstein) approach problems differently. He famously said “If I had an hour to solve a problem I’d spend 55 minutes thinking about t he problem and 5 minutes thinking about solutions.”
We spend more time solving the wrong problems, than the right ones. We have simply adopted ‘fire fight’ mentality. “There’s an issue! Let’s go fix it!” We rarely think to take the time to examine what the issue really is. In other words; Why is this an issue? Often the problem we set out to solve is a symptom of the underlying issues. Yet we feel good. The problem is solved; the crisis has passed!
When we solve the wrong problem, the root of the issue does not go away. It festers. It re-appears. Leaving the problem unsolved causes employees to get frustrated. Customers too get frustrated. They make you frustrated. You lose employees – AND you lose customers!
How do you know if you are solving the wrong problem? The answer is relatively straight forward. And it uses my favorite question – WHY? However, before we get there, we need to define what we are trying to do. Frame the issue. Have you ever walked into a conversation where a group was trying to solve a problem? After a few moments of listening, did you wonder ‘what are they talking about’? It happens to me all of the time at client sites. Inevitably I ask, ‘What’s the issue?’. And, all too often, there are multiple versions of what the issue is.
So, before you can effectively tackle the issue, we must define it. Start with defining the problem. Make sure everyone agrees. Then, ask the critical question. Why is that a problem? Often the answer will inadvertently show a dependence on a different problem. Now you are getting closer to the root cause. Keep asking ‘why’ until you have defined the underlying issue. Figuring out the answer is much easier when we have identified the real problem.
You waste less energy than engaging in the fire fight. You solve real business problems. And, you are acting like a genius!