How Do You Solve Today's Complex Problems? Think Again!

“We can’t solve problems with the same thinking that created them.” Tony Schwartz in HBR reminds us that yesterday’s “binary” thinking is inadequate today and that our analysis must:

1.   Deepen: Challenge your deeply held beliefs;

2.   Widen: Include input from more stakeholders to broaden your perspective; and,

3.   Lengthen: Pay closer attention to long-term consequences.

Tony prescribes three core behaviors to broaden your perspective and drive deeper understanding:

1.   Challenge your Convictions: Confirmation bias causes us to see what we expect to see and may blind us to other possibilities. How many other possibilities are there? Can you say infinite? This recent post describes how renowned physicist Richard Feynman solved problems unsolvable by his peers by employing a range of mental models - https://www.dhirubhai.net/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6539339918102061056

2.   Take on Your Toughest Challenges First: We live in a world of endless, seemingly (emphasis on “seemingly”) urgent demands. Chris McChesney in Franklin Covey’s Four Disciplines of Execution describes it as the “the Whirlwind” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94w1Tt5IpS4. Address your most critical, strategic issues first before you get sucked into the Whirlwind.

3.   Be Aware of and Manage Your Emotions: Like it or not, emotions impact perception. EQ is generally a good thing. However, when stressed, we focus on quickly alleviating that stress, tend to reach into our usual bag of tricks and may unwittingly revert to destructive attach and blame behaviors. Use your emotions for good and prevent them from narrowing your thinking.

Perhaps the most critical attribute for managing complexity is courage. Effective leaders are willing to get out of their comfort zone, ask the tough questions and be prepared to take courageous action, even when they may not like the answers!

https://hbr.org/2018/05/what-it-takes-to-think-deeply-about-complex-problems?utm_campaign=hbr&utm_medium=social&utm_source=linkedin