What if problem solving wasn’t about finding solutions but about questioning premises?
Flipping your focus from the back end to the front end might actually shift how you effect change.
And change, my friends, is the outcome of great problem solving.
Genius Perspective
Einstein argued, “If I had an hour to solve a problem, I would spend 55 minutes thinking about the problem and five minutes thinking about solutions.”
Whether tackling a complex work challenge or deciding what to eat for dinner, notice how often you rely on familiar strategies such as breaking the problem into smaller parts or seeking advice from others.
As you grow up, you build preferred pathways of problem solving. The efficient brain always finds the easiest way to get from A to B, so those pathways become highways over time, allowing you to figure out those dinner plans quickly.
However, that beautiful neural highway can also become your downfall because that habit, mostly unconscious, sends you along the same route from Point A (problem) to Point B (solution), focusing typically on Point B.
Instead, Einstein recommends investigating Point A instead of Point B. One way to approach problem solving from Einstein’s perspective is to identify the underlying constraints such as money, time, and resources instead of jumping to “the fix.” This process may provide a more comprehensive understanding of the problem and could lead to alternative solutions. In this approach, Point B may ultimately become Point Z.
Problem Solver vs. Problem Seeker
Another way to look at this topic is to ask yourself, Am I problem solver or a problem seeker?
Predictive Index, an assessment tool I use in coaching, identifies a person’s action orientation: proactive or responsive. Problem seekers tend to be proactive whereas problem solvers tend to be responsive by nature.
Your action orientation is based on your wiring, going back to what I spoke of earlier regarding neurological pathways.
With self-awareness, examine your behavioural style. Consider whether you’re proactive (problem seeking) or responsive (problem solving). Once you grasp what drives your behaviour, you can find opportunities that align naturally to your tendencies instead of feeling frustrated in the wrong environment.
Problem seekers will thrive in dynamic settings, for example, startups. Problem solvers will work well in steadier surroundings such as traditional manufacturing.
The Role of Emotions
Here’s a third idea: notice the emotions underneath your problem-solving method.
Do you pursue problems from a state of anxiety, lack (scarcity mindset), or even boredom? Negative emotions can drive unhealthy behaviours up to and including more of what you don’t want.
In contrast, when you solve problems from a place of curiosity, openness, or a desire for the big picture, that’s a healthy, positive expression of this critical skill.
If you find yourself stuck in negative problem solving and want to access more creativity, you can shift your emotions by practising PQ reps. Click here to learn how.
Through PQ reps, you shift to Sage where you incorporate the logical and the creative parts of your mind at the same time. Imagine the solutions you can conjure from this place!
Three Ways
Today, I’ve covered three new ways of solving problems:
- Focus on the problem, not the solution;
- Identify your approach to problem solving;
- Practise problem solving logically and creatively through positive emotions.
Try one of these techniques and let me know how it goes.
Change
The consequence of effective problem solving is that change(s) will take place. Simply put, solving problems creates change.
Returning to my buddy Einstein as I close out today, I share with you his wisdom: “Problems cannot be solved at the same level of awareness that created them.”
May your new awareness change how you approach problem solving.