The best way to find the right solution to your problem is to ask the right questions of yourself and others involved in the decision-making process. Asking good questions as you go through this process will help you define your problem well, brainstorm solutions and scenarios, and ultimately find the one that leads to growth and profit. The following five strategies will help you get started on your problem solving journey..
1) Identify the Opportunity of the Problem
If you’re faced with a problem that you don’t have an immediate solution to, take a step back and figure out if there are any opportunities lurking within. Asking good questions can help identify areas where your business could profit from taking advantage of current or future obstacles.Poor problem solving rarely has anything to do with whether you have enough information; it has everything to do with how you analyze what information is available. The biggest mistake I see leaders make when trying to solve problems is looking at isolated bits of data instead of pulling all those bits together into one big picture.
When approaching a problem, you might think that you need to come up with dozens of ideas before finding one that works. However, the opposite is true: you can start by looking at all your options and then whittle them down using smart questions until you’re left with only the best solution.
2) Ask Good Questions
Asking good questions is what defines a problem well and leads to a clear vision of issues involved. When that occurs, it’s easier to run through multiple scenarios to their conclusion and find solutions that lead to growth. It’s helpful to identify whether your question strategy includes a broad or narrow approach, so you can identify any key pieces of data left out of your analysis.
Then, ask others within the organization to give you their input about the problem. Ask open ended questions to ensure you are getting unbiased answers. For example:
What do you think the problem is?
What concerns you most about ___?
What do you think the main obstacle is?
How do you feel about ___?
Why do you think we are seeing ___?
How would you overcome ___?
Okay, tell me more about that.
What else?
By approaching these complex situations with specific details and methodological plans in mind , problems can be defined quickly and thoroughly—which leads to better answers, more opportunities, and solutions that work.
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3) Consider All Options
After you identify the problem, list out at least five possible solutions. You don’t need to consider every option, but having a set of realistic possibilities will help you evaluate each one with an open mind. Asking yourself questions along these lines is also helpful: If I use this solution what would be the possible outcomes? Are those outcomes a temporary fix to the problem or are they a long term solution?
Once you’ve answered these questions make sure you have taken into account all of your personal preferences. Then pick your top three best solutions and explore them further by doing some additional research, to include the ideas of others within the organization. Even if someone doesn't have a clear understanding of your industry or the problem itself, they can often leverage their personal experience to provide some additional insights that might help you come to a better conclusion.
4) Think Laterally
Problems can often be solved by thinking differently. In fact, one of Albert Einstein’s famous quotes is, The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten about the gift. Question assumptions—that goes well beyond asking why? or how? A question like How will our customers find us in three years if we are successful? could end up helping you solve problems with distribution channels that you didn't even realize existed today.
Questioning your answers to each problem is also important: Where did you get those numbers? Are they really correct? What would happen if I put my business model on its head and operated from a different premise entirely?Asking good questions while using an indirect and creative approach via reasoning, that is not immediately, obvious can lead to better problem solving results.
5) Implement and Evaluate the Solution
Now you are ready to create a plan of action. Decide when and how you will move forward with your decision by outlining the steps you'll need take. It will be important that you have the appropriate measures in place to record the results of your solution. This will make it a lot easier to evaluate down the road.
Evaluate and assess the results of your solution. Are you satisfied with the results? Did your solution resolve the problem? Did it produce a new problem? Do you have to modify your solution to achieve better results? Are you closer to achieving your goal? What have you learned?
Final Thoughts
The best way to find the right solution to your problem is to ask the right questions of yourself and others involved in the decision-making process. Asking good questions as you go through this process will help you define your problem well, brainstorm solutions and scenarios, and ultimately find the one that leads to greater optimization and growth. It is my hope that the fivestrategies I've discussed will help you get started on your problem solving journey today.
When it seems impossible to find the right solution, remember a favorite quote of mine:
“There are not more than five musical notes, yet the combinations of these five give rise to more melodies than can ever be heard.
There are not more than five primary colors, yet in combination
they produce more hues than can ever been seen.
There are not more than five cardinal tastes, yet combinations of
them yield more flavors than can ever be tasted.”
― Sun Tzu, The Art of War
 — Whatever is Lovely by Lynne G. Caine)