{"id":1629,"date":"2023-10-13T08:35:53","date_gmt":"2023-10-13T12:35:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/d2fpc.com\/?p=1629"},"modified":"2023-10-22T13:30:12","modified_gmt":"2023-10-22T17:30:12","slug":"solve-the-right-problem","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/d2fpc.com\/?p=1629","title":{"rendered":"Fix The Right Problem"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/d2fpc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/0457-1024x683.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1630\" srcset=\"https:\/\/d2fpc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/0457-1024x683.webp 1024w, https:\/\/d2fpc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/0457-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/d2fpc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/0457-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/d2fpc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/0457-1536x1024.webp 1536w, https:\/\/d2fpc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/0457-600x400.webp 600w, https:\/\/d2fpc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/0457-jpg.webp 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>What would make this problem not exist?<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-audio\"><audio controls src=\"https:\/\/d2fpc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/problemsolver.mp3\"><\/audio><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The first principle of decision-making is that the decider needs to define the problem. If you\u2019re not the one making the decision, you can suggest the problem that needs to be solved, but you don\u2019t get to define it. Only the person responsible for the outcome does. The decision-maker can take input from anywhere \u2014 bosses, subordinates, colleagues, experts, etc. However, the responsibility to get to the bottom of the problem \u2014 to sort fact from opinion and determine what\u2019s really happening \u2014 rests with them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Defining the problem starts with identifying two things: (1) what you want to achieve, and (2) what obstacles stand in the way of getting it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Unfortunately, people too often end up solving the wrong problem. Perhaps you can relate to this scenario, which I\u2019ve seen thousands of times over the years. A decision-maker assembles a diverse team to solve a critical and time-sensitive problem. There are ten people in the room all giving input about what\u2019s happening \u2014 each from a different perspective. Within a few minutes someone announces what they think the problem is, the room goes silent for a microsecond\u2026 and then everyone starts discussing possible solutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Often the first plausible description of the situation defines the problem that the team will try to solve. Once the group comes up with a solution, the decision-maker feels good. That person then allocates resources toward the idea and expects the problem to be solved. But it isn\u2019t. Because the first lens into an issue rarely reveals what the real problem is, so the real problem doesn\u2019t get solved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/d2fpc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/0743-1024x683.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1632\" srcset=\"https:\/\/d2fpc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/0743-1024x683.webp 1024w, https:\/\/d2fpc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/0743-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/d2fpc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/0743-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/d2fpc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/0743-1536x1024.webp 1536w, https:\/\/d2fpc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/0743-600x400.webp 600w, https:\/\/d2fpc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/0743-jpg.webp 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Take a step back to see the big picture and the root cause of a problem<\/em>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>What\u2019s happening here?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The social default prompts us to accept the first definition people agree on and move forward. Once someone states a problem, the team shifts into \u201csolution\u201d mode without considering whether the problem has even been correctly defined. This is what happens when you put a bunch of smart, type A people together and tell them to solve a problem. Most of the time, they end up missing the real problem and merely addressing a symptom of it. They react without reasoning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Many of us have been taught that solving problems is how we add value. In school, teachers give us problems to solve, and at work our bosses do the same. We\u2019ve been taught our whole lives to solve problems. But when it comes to defining problems, we have less experience. Things are often uncertain. We seldom have all the information. Sometimes, there are competing ideas about what the problem is, competing proposals to solve it, and then lots of interpersonal friction. So we\u2019re much less comfortable defining problems than solving them, and the social default uses that discomfort. It encourages us to react instead of reason, in order to prove we\u2019re adding value. Just solve a problem \u2014 any problem!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/d2fpc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/0512-1024x683.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1631\" srcset=\"https:\/\/d2fpc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/0512-1024x683.webp 1024w, https:\/\/d2fpc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/0512-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/d2fpc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/0512-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/d2fpc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/0512-1536x1024.webp 1536w, https:\/\/d2fpc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/0512-600x400.webp 600w, https:\/\/d2fpc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/0512-jpg.webp 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Don\u2019t let someone define the problem for you. Do the work to understand it clearly<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The result: organizations and individuals waste a lot of time solving the wrong problems. It\u2019s so much easier to treat the symptoms than find the underlying disease, to put out fires rather than prevent them, or simply punt things into the future. The problem with this approach is that the fires never burn out, they flare up repeatedly. And when you punt something into the future, the future eventually arrives. We\u2019re busier than ever at work, but most of the time what we\u2019re busy doing is putting out fires \u2014 fires that started with a poor initial decision made years earlier, which should\u2019ve been prevented in the first place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And because there are so many fires and so many demands on our time, we tend to focus on just putting out the flames. Yet as any experienced camper knows, putting out flames doesn\u2019t put out the fire. Since all our time is spent running around and putting out the flames, we have no time to think about today\u2019s problems, which can create the kindling for tomorrow\u2019s fires.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-code\"><code>We\u2019re busier than ever at work, but most of the time what we\u2019re busy doing is putting out fires \u2014 fires that started with a poor initial decision.<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n<p>The best decision-makers know that the way we define a problem shapes everyone\u2019s perspective about it and determines the solutions. The most critical step in any decision-making process is to get the problem right. This part of the process offers invaluable insight. Since you can\u2019t solve a problem you don\u2019t understand, defining the problem is a chance to take in lots of relevant information. Only by talking to the experts, seeking the opinions of others, hearing their different perspectives, and sorting out what\u2019s real from what\u2019s not can the decision-maker understand the real problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/d2fpc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/0891-1024x683.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1633\" srcset=\"https:\/\/d2fpc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/0891-1024x683.webp 1024w, https:\/\/d2fpc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/0891-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/d2fpc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/0891-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/d2fpc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/0891-1536x1024.webp 1536w, https:\/\/d2fpc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/0891-600x400.webp 600w, https:\/\/d2fpc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/0891-jpg.webp 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Don&#8217;t be content with treating the symptoms of a problem<\/em>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>When you really understand a problem, the solution seems obvious. These two principles follow the example of the best decision-makers:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-code\"><code>The Definition Principle: Take responsibility for defining the problem. Don\u2019t let someone define it for you. Do the work to understand it. Don\u2019t use jargon to describe or explain it. \nThe Root Cause Principle: Identify the root cause of the problem. Don\u2019t be content with simply treating its symptoms. <\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n<p>I once took over a department where the software would regularly freeze. Solving the problem required physically rebooting the server. (The drawback of working in a top-secret facility was our lack of connectivity to the outside world.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Almost every weekend, one of the people on my team would be called into work to fix the problem. Without fail, he\u2019d have the system back up and running quickly. The outage was small, the impact minimal. Problem solved. Or was it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At the end of the first month, I received the overtime bill to sign. Those weekend visits were costing a small fortune. We were addressing the symptom without solving the problem. Fixing the real problem required a few weeks of work, instead of a few minutes on the weekend. No one wanted to solve the real problem because it was painful. So we just kept putting out flames and letting the fire reignite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A handy tool for identifying the root cause of a problem is to ask yourself, \u201cWhat would have to be true for this problem not to exist in the first place?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>== Shane Parrish ==<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The first principle of decision-making is that the decider needs to define the problem. If you\u2019re not the one making the decision, you can suggest the problem that needs to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1630,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_eb_attr":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"_EventAllDay":false,"_EventTimezone":"","_EventStartDate":"","_EventEndDate":"","_EventStartDateUTC":"","_EventEndDateUTC":"","_EventShowMap":false,"_EventShowMapLink":false,"_EventURL":"","_EventCost":"","_EventCostDescription":"","_EventCurrencySymbol":"","_EventCurrencyCode":"","_EventCurrencyPosition":"","_EventDateTimeSeparator":"","_EventTimeRangeSeparator":"","_EventOrganizerID":[],"_EventVenueID":[],"_OrganizerEmail":"","_OrganizerPhone":"","_OrganizerWebsite":"","_VenueAddress":"","_VenueCity":"","_VenueCountry":"","_VenueProvince":"","_VenueState":"","_VenueZip":"","_VenuePhone":"","_VenueURL":"","_VenueStateProvince":"","_VenueLat":"","_VenueLng":"","_VenueShowMap":false,"_VenueShowMapLink":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1629","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/d2fpc.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1629","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/d2fpc.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/d2fpc.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/d2fpc.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/d2fpc.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1629"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/d2fpc.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1629\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/d2fpc.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1630"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/d2fpc.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1629"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/d2fpc.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1629"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/d2fpc.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1629"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}