When I wrote about the Prediction Market Industry, I was quite taken with the notion of what constitutes ‘transparency’. Stumbling upon the definition that transparency (this came from a doctor) is “…being clear about what we know and don't know.” has left a lasting effect on my thinking, especially around sales forecasting.
Early in my career, my career mentor challenged me with the maxim, “Define the problem and the solution will present itself.” What Mike was trying to get me to do was to look for the ‘root cause’; what contributed to this problem in the first place. Of late, I find people are spending a great deal of time putting forth solutions without regard for what caused the problem. Often the solutions become a Band-Aid and offer a short-term fix, or less.
This is not reserved as a business observation, only. I see it carry over to many facets of the work and life balance we all face. What I have been looking for is the ‘why’. I believe some of it may be related to the rapid-fire communication we wallow in day and night. From social media to an overabundance of communication tools and devices, we rarely get a break to just stare out the window and take a break – think about the momentum to ban text messaging while driving.
I caught a feature article on Ken Burns (“famed Americana documentary filmmaker”) in Fortune magazine that noted how much he enjoyed driving and taking-in the scenery; it was good for idea generation, reflection, and thought. I share his desire to avoid the trials and tribulations of air travel. Not only have I rediscovered the joy of driving, I now appreciate Webinars as a more effective tool than many a business trip by plane.
When thinking of problem solving, where do you think we miss the mark? Is it along the lines of my premise that we fail to pursue the root cause? Or, is it bigger than that? What can we do to become better problem solvers in the future?
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