What do you do if logical reasoning fails to solve complex business problems?

1. Shift Your Perspective:Take a step back to view the problem from a new angle or perspective. Question your assumptions and preconceptions that might be constraining your thought process.Seek input from a variety of stakeholders for different viewpoints. 2. Break Down the Problem:Dissect the complex issue into smaller, more manageable parts.Examine each part separately to find possible solutions. 3. Leverage Data and Analytics:Gather and scrutinize relevant data for deeper understanding of the issue. 4. Engage in Collaborative Problem-Solving:Facilitate brainstorming sessions with interdisciplinary teams or experts.Promote a variety of perspectives and cultivate a culture of open dialogue.

When logical reasoning fails to solve a complex problem, best way to solve it is to break it down into pieces and become creative, do brainstorms to come with possible solutions.

When logic hits a roadblock with tough business puzzles, it's time to get creative! Bring in different perspectives, brainstorm wild ideas, and don't be afraid to try new approaches. Sometimes, the most unexpected solutions come from thinking outside the box.

As they say in Lean principles “Go to Gemba” ie go to the real place where work is happening. Some examples - Gemba can be shop floor in a manufacturing set up, a retail shop in sales environment , a warehouse in a supply chain context. Basically , go to ground level and talk to as many people as possible - customers, vendors, partners, workers . You will be able to get the insight to correct the fallacy in your logical reasoning . As Toyota chairman Fujio Cho used to say about Gemba - “ Go see, ask why, show respect “

Based on my experiences, my suggestion is to re-do the whole exercise with in-depth analysis based on meticulous insights which may have been overlooked earlier during the process. Sometimes due to overconfidence of the analytics and/or apparent similarity of proposals solutions may not be achieved. Re-doing through insights like feedback from additional sources, combing customer information, dissecting obvious data into fragments and focusing on info which has hidden trends or patterns for a logical solution. It can be done for sure.

Sometimes the greatest ideas would come from the team members who are not high up in the ranking - and they might see the ground reality more clearly - their views are most of the time not even asked for - inclusivity is key

in my experience 1. Seek insights from diverse sources, including frontline staff and customers. 2. Their perspectives offer fresh angles on complex problems. 3. Analyze customer feedback, market trends, and competitor strategies for valuable context. 4. Incorporating these insights enriches problem-solving beyond pure logic's limitations.

Sometimes the key to solving complex problems lies in gathering insights from a variety of sources. Talk to people within different areas of your business, including those on the front lines who interact with customers or operate the day-to-day processes. Their perspectives can shed light on aspects of the problem that you might not have considered. Additionally, look at customer feedback, market trends, and competitor strategies. These insights can provide valuable context that pure logic may overlook.

I would follow a few steps: 1) Gather the data 2) Validate the data and source 3) Analyze the data in logical ways 4) Play around with the data and look what it tells you 5) If steps 3+4 are not yielding any insights - which can happen - start trying to find match patterns. What has helped me many times are books like "Profit Patterns" that show past development and larger trends in recognizable ways

more listening/understanding from all relevant perspectives/insights to better understand such business problems first, even you can't clearly find out root causes or prioritization, but this process may help bring you into another stage to simplify this complicated problems as well as figure out any potential creative/out-of-box ideas, either technology innovation or traditional way...

Utilize data to uncover deeper insights rather than relying on surface-level assumptions. Employ analytics, including quantitative metrics, qualitative surveys, interviews, and customer satisfaction (CSAT) or product satisfaction (SEQ) surveys, to identify patterns and trends in product usage and adoption. These insights, whether isolated or combined, are invaluable for understanding user and customer needs. Ensure that all relevant metrics are instrumented to collect necessary data for future analysis. Equally crucial is defining success metrics for your business or product early on, enabling data to validate current progress and drive further advancement.

In the age of big data, leveraging analytics can uncover patterns and trends that aren't immediately obvious. When logical reasoning hits a wall, dive into your data. Look for correlations, anomalies, or any information that could point you in a new direction. Remember, data isn't just numbers; qualitative data from customer interviews or case studies can be equally revealing. Use data visualization tools to help identify relationships within the data that might spark a solution.

Well !!! When faced with complex business problems, leveraging data can offer valuable insights and guide decision-making processes. Analyzing relevant data sets, employing statistical methods, and utilizing advanced analytics techniques can help uncover patterns, trends, and correlations that inform strategic solutions and mitigate risks.

Frameworks provide structured approaches to problem-solving and decision-making. For example, the SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) helps assess the internal and external factors influencing a business. Another popular framework is the 5 Whys, which helps dig deep into the root cause of a problem. By using these frameworks, you can organize your thoughts, identify key factors, and develop effective strategies. It's like having a roadmap to navigate through the complexities!

- Identify Strengths by considering internal resources, capabilities, or external factors that contribute positively. - Acknowledge Weaknesses by looking for internal limitations or areas for improvement. - Explore Opportunities by identifying external factors that could be leveraged for your advantage. - Assess Threats by recognizing external challenges that could pose risks to your project or organization.

In the realm of business, applying the SWOT analysis framework entails assessing both internal Strengths and Weaknesses, as well as external Opportunities and Threats. This evaluation aids businesses in gaining insights into their competitive positioning, market dynamics, and areas necessitating improvement. By identifying strengths, such as distinctive capabilities or resources, and weaknesses, such as operational inefficiencies, businesses can enhance their understanding of their internal landscape. Simultaneously, scrutinizing opportunities, such as emerging markets or trends, and threats, such as new competitors or regulatory changes, empowers businesses to adeptly navigate the external environment.

I use SWOT, Pareto and 5 Whys framework immensely. Frameworks helps in providing a proven structured approach towards problem solving. As you grow in experience you are able to apply them efficiently to get best results

El Storytelling es un elemento central para recorrer las diferentes disciplinas y combinarlas en pos de obtener un resultado diferente, una nueva solución innovadora a un viejo o nuevo problema. El storytelling o roadmap de la innovación, es el sendero por el cual el equipo camina, como boys (girls) scouts por los senderos del conocimiento. El RoadMap son las migas de pan en el bosque, aquellas que nos permitirán volver dos pasos hacia atrás, y hasta el punto de partida, si es y cuando, sea necesario. La innovación, la creatividad y el arte, necesitan estructura para florecer, no se trata solo de ideas abstractas, se trata de combinar la abstracción con la estructura, y de ahí nacen las obras geniales del Conocimiento, y de la Imaginación.

As Maya Angelou said, "We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to reach that beauty." By bringing together individuals with different backgrounds, experiences, and thought processes, businesses can generate a wider range of solutions. Brainstorming sessions, design thinking workshops, and cross-functional teams can all be effective tools for fostering a culture of creative problem-solving.

Solving complex business problems almost invariably means solving for complex human related issues as well. And it is often the human issues that stand in the way of execution of logically derived strategies for problem solving. Collaboration in its truest sense indicates bringing varied stakeholders together for a common cause. And therefore it demands leveraging influence, instilling motivation, ameliorating concerns and creating win - win outcomes for stakeholder groups that may be at odds with each other. Smart business leaders bring their whole selves to work and tap into the full range of resources available at their disposal to make collaboration happen.

Encourage *diverse Collaboration If the same people look at the same problem in the same way, the outcome will be... the same. When tasked with complex problems that aren't solvable leveraging existing mechanisms, I find that creating a diverse think tank can get to a resolution incredibly quickly. Set the expectation that the desired outcome is a solution. The purpose of this think tank should not just be discussion and dialogue but a path to solution. With this as the guiding star, unleash the creativity of your diverse people. Let them thrive within their differences. And watch magic happen!

No general wins alone; alliances forge victories. Collective genius is a multiplier of potential. Encourage diverse perspectives, create synergy, and build a collective intelligence stronger than any solo act.

Collaboration can do wonders. A great example is from movie Avengers, the end game. The collaboration among Ironman, Captain America, Thor and other superheroes shows us how diverse superhero capabilities can work together to tackle a supervillain Thanos (complex business problem) ??

Why is it complicated? Has emotion or emotive reasoning got in the way of your findings or is there some political reason why your analysis has supposedly failed? Just because you've found something, a person may not be willing to hear or accept your finding. You may have created more problems than the problem you set out to solve because you've opened up a can of worms! Communication understanding why people think certain ways or knowing the outcomes they're after is essential.

That's, actually, the foundation of doing business)))) I can't but mention that Flexibility is a top skill. You should do an everyday monitoring of your business KPI, competitors' activities, new companies, and technologies that can influence your customer choices or habits

One thing I've found incredibly helpful in various projects I've been involved in is the habit of reflection. It's not only about getting our heads straight but also about adapting. Sometimes, just taking the time to reflect is all we need to adjust our strategies and allow those ideas to start flowing in.

We need to reflect and adapt new ways to solve a problem rather than conventional ways. Talk to experienced customers for their opinions on the topics. Discuss it within your team and you can come with a solution.

Reflect on what you have done until you have found a sound explanation and consider the consequences if you continue. Ask for guidance & advice from impartial sources

There's always an area where logic can't solve problems as we deal with humans, not robots. Building trust for individuals and companies is vital.

One thing, I have always found to be true is 'Perseverance' pays greatest dividend. Oftentimes the answer is not in the box, it's in the band. To tackle such complex business issues, we need a combination of tactics - 1/Re align analytical thinking in terms of SWOT framework. Divide the problem into smaller modules. 2/ Challenge assumptions,biases and preconceptions that might be limiting your perspective. 3/ Brainstorm/Coffee chat/ High Tea - inviting experts/ SMEs - even friendly discussion can breed new idea and connect missing links. 4/ Dare to experiment and prototyping - embrace creative alternate solution - even if that serves the partial objective. Finally Re- negotiate the outcome. Device alternate acceptance criteria.

Logic can only take us so far sometimes. Instead First-Principles thinking helps break it down to its core, questioning assumptions and revealing fresh solutions. Let’s say a business is struggling with high delivery costs, logic might make you want to optimise delivery routes or maybe negotiating with shipping carriers but first-principles thinking may want you to take a radical approach for example, building a drone for delivery. Sometimes it can lead to transformative things, it can be time consuming especially when logic is deadlocked, this can help tackle business intricacies.

Take a leap and Discover Many things don't make sense until they do. Unless you try you won't know. So things may not be logical yet coz you may not have the same perspective yet. Real maturity is to know you don't know everything and there's still a lot to discover. It may be wise to act on advise and trial and error with reasonable risk when there is nothing else that makes sense. Only thing worst probably is not to do anything.

Great insights from everyone. I am trying to cover what others have not covered or partially covered. Where logic fails, there could be emotions at play. Emotions is what makes us human - flawed that is. Accept our flaws, accept others’ flaws, see the situation as is (most biases in check) , probe and find out the motivations of all the actors , the energies of people’s minds and THEN figure out the solutions to the problems. This framework has few benefits: 1. Not fall into others emotional whirlpool / games, 2. Pause gives a break to switch slow and deliberate thinking 3. Not rush into impulsive decisions 4. Previously unknown data can also be processed