To Better Solve Your Problems, DON’T Think of a Solution!

What is the common shortcoming in these two problem statements?

I need to get a new job because I can’t afford rent.

We have too many groups interacting with the client, and need a CRM to provide consistent service.

Guessed it?

Yep, neither are actually a problem statement at all – they’re solutions in disguise.

You’ve probably seen similarly structured “problems” in your work – it’s a critical mistake we all make frequently, often without even realizing it. So today let’s dig into it, I’ll touch on two things:

1. Why this type of solution-first thinking is detrimental to process improvement, and
2. Some easy steps you can take to keep your organization from falling into the solution-first trap.

Why “Solution-First” Thinking Sucks:

Primarily, because it needlessly narrows the scope of opportunity, dramatically increasing the chance that one of three things will occur:

1. You will falsely conclude a problem is unsolvable,
2. You will pick a sub-optimal solution,
3. Or you will solve the wrong problem all-together!

Let’s take a look at one our solution-first statements.

I need to get a new job because I can’t afford rent.

The solution, “get a new job” is baked in, but what if you CAN’T get a new job? Maybe you’re under contract, maybe you’re under-qualified for the job you want, maybe the job market just sucks.

If any of these are true, you’ve just hit a dead end and your improvement journey is over before it even began.

I see this a lot with folks requesting some god-system enhancement that would revolutionize their work. When inevitably they find out there is no tech budget to make the improvement they deflate and resolve to trudge on in inefficient misery.

But what if we probe the problem a bit more? 

By how much are you unable to pay rent? Always or is this a recent development? What does the rest of your budget look like? Depending on the answers to these you can probably already think of some additional options for this person. They could: 

• Get a roommate
• Cancel their memberships
• Donate plasma!

Committing to a solution is one of the final steps in the improvement process. So it’s not surprising that when we anchor our selves to a specific one initially, we likely have picked the wrong one. It’s like trying to guess the winning move of a chess game before you’ve moved your first pawn. Take a few moments to probe your problem first, and you’ll find the number and quality of opportunities will increase dramatically.

Protect your Organization from the Trap of Solution-First thinking:

The tendency to lead with a solution is not new, our minds think quickly – and we are programmed to take action against things we see as a threat. If our ancient ancestors had waited to understand why that tiger was stalking them before taking action (i.e. running) – well, none of us would be here. But this tendency falls short when we deal with complex situations that can’t be synaptically understood in a moment.

And yet the challenges we face in the workplace can feel just as immediately threatening as that tiger, so the idea of slowing down (gasp!) to define our problem can seem incompatible with the urgency of the moment.

I don’t have a silver bullet for this challenge. However, Bill and I have found great success in averting a solution-first approach (either in ourselves or the teams we work with) by using the below question:

What is the pain, or gain that we are moving toward or away from?

Solutions have no inherent value of their own – they derive value from the problems they solve or the results they achieve. Verbalizing what exactly is being solved can be a powerful pause-point (credit to the great Mahan Khalsa – he has a whole chapter on this topic in his book, but here is his 3 minute summary).

When you hear folks provide solution-first problem statements, take a moment to ask that important question. This will help uncover the heart of the problem rather than leaving your team with a single rigid solution.

So Now What?

OK, so you’ve done that and you feel like you’ve got a decent problem statement that enables multiple solutions. How can we check? Below is a helpful construct Bill and I use when evaluating (or self-evaluating) a problem statement. These are some aspects of a good problem statement:

1. Defines one problem
2. Does not identify the cause of the problem
3. Uses precise language that is understood by all
4. Is not a leading statement (to a particular solution)
5. Has data to support it’s relevance
6. Is very simple (25 words or less)

Let’s use this to rephrase our original terrible problem statement:

“I have a monthly deficit of $150, resulting in my not being able to make rent.”

This now leaves the door wide-open for many potential solutions. Try applying these points to one of your own problems

So, the next time you or your team are beginning an improvement, leverage these simple tools to ensure you’re not leaving potentially awesome ideas on the table. Ask:

What is the pain, or gain that we are moving toward or away from?

Does my problem statement meet most of the six points listed above?

As a bonus, this will also put you in an even stronger position to see the improvement through to implementation when it comes time to pitch it to management (see last week’s post for more ideas on this).

Note: This is a small scratch on the surface of a super rich topic. Bill and I will likely revisit this, but in the meantime I’ll link some great resources if you want to dig deeper into the theory and psychology behind problem statements.

• “Let’s Get Real or Let’s Not Play” – perhaps a silly title but one of my favorite business books of all time, check out the chapter “Move off the Solution”
• “Stop Jumping to Solutions” – MIT Sloan article that dives into the decision-making challenges of picking a solution too soon.