How to learn to identify the source of all problems and why it is important to be able to everyone

Albert Einstein once said: "If I were given one hour to save the planet, I would spend 59 minutes identifying the real problem and one minute solving it."

It sounds a little extreme, but it emphasizes the importance of accurately identifying problems. And hints at a curious fact: it is enough to clearly indicate what exactly bothers you and what exactly you want to achieve - and already in this you can find a solution. Moreover, it will most likely be obvious, straightforward and will save a lot of time, money and other resources.

There is a simple question that I, as a coach, ask my clients when they come to me with difficulties in business: "What problem are we solving?" And I know that by this alone I have a strong influence on their business.

Unfortunately, my experience shows that very few leaders have the skill to identify problems. Although it is not difficult and will require you only some patience, repetition and careful study of the issue. That is, in fact, elementary critical thinking.

In any topic, you can identify the key complexity that prevents you and your business from living and developing in just three consecutive steps. I call them the problem detection filter.

1. Assess the current situation critically

Take a look at the circumstances as if from the outside. Now describe the situation as fully as possible in words. What do you think is the problem? How and what does it affect? What emotions does it evoke in all interested parties? What happens when you solve this problem? What happens if you refuse to solve it?

The more fully, critically and impartially you analyze the situation in which you find yourself, the better.

2. Formulate the problem clearly as you see it

After you have studied and understood the situation clearly, sketch out a rough statement of the main problem. To do this, take a few sheets of paper and caption each: “The problem we are trying solve: _».

Complete the first sheet with a description of your difficulty. In the following, try to rephrase the problem to the shortest and most understandable form.

3. Ask yourself, "Why did this problem occur?"

If the answer is to describe another obstacle, congratulations: you have moved to a deeper, more real level of analysis. Then, once you find yourself at a new point, ask yourself again: "Why did this problem arise?"

Repeat this several times until you come across the factor that is the source of all the difficulties you have already identified. Or until you find that failure to address a key issue has unexpected consequences.

At one time, the Japanese company Toyota developed the “Five The number 5 was chosen empirically. The Japanese believe that five iterations are enough to identify most technological problems. The why for the process improvement program. It is not really necessary to repeat the question "Why?" smooth Five times. Sometimes one is enough. In other cases, it will take, for example, 17 iterations.

Ask yourself, "Why did this problem arise?" - as many times as necessary until you get to the factor that is the real cause of your difficulties.

These steps will help you figure out the key stumbling blocks in your job or business. And determine if you are not wasting energy on solving non-essential issues instead of the main one. By the way, when calculating this most basic problem, do not forget to ask yourself (or those people whose opinion is authoritative for you) if the solution you have found is obvious and simple. And one more thing: is it worth solving the discovered problem at all? Often the answer is no.