New Year - New Title: Problem Solver

When the clock struck midnight and 2024 rang in, I wasn't too excited. In the days leading up to and after the new year, I had not really found that thing to get excited about. I am not a "new year, new me" type of person, but I am typically excited about the hope of a new year, a clean slate, and a fresh start to do, and be, better.

This week, that changed.

Something that my friends know about me is that I love jigsaw puzzles.? My preference is 1K pieces and ones that have specific vignettes.? I don’t like the impossible puzzles made up of a single color or simply strewn together for guessing.? I work on puzzles in my down time, typically in the evening on my puzzle board with my sorting trays – yes, that’s a thing.? I sort the pieces by color, complete the border, and work from the outside in.? I can complete them relatively quickly, but I have to force myself to stop or I will stay up late into the night and not move from the table until it’s complete.? The process is incredibly relaxing because when I focus on the puzzle, nothing else distracts me.? I consider it a moving meditation and one of the ways I manage stress.

Another thing I enjoy is completing the daily 纽约时报 puzzles – Spelling Bee, Wordle, Mini Crossword, Connections, and Letter Box are a nightly ritual.? I save them for the end of the day as my little moment before I head to bed.? It is incredibly satisfying to end the day on a “win” even if it’s just getting the right Wordle within 3 guesses.

And something I am strangely good at is untangling knots. Whether it's a necklace, a shoestring, or any matter of things that can become knotted, I'll work at that knot with tweezers and a magnifying glass until it's nice and symmetrical strands. I like to work backwards from the origin to the knot and untangle it a piece at a time. It is an oddly satisfying thing to do.

What I don’t like – and have never liked – is magic tricks.? I don’t like the idea that there is something being done with a slight-of-hand that I cannot see.? I avoid magicians and magic tricks because I cannot figure them out.? And when I do know the trick, I feel ridiculous for not seeing something that is clearly so obvious.

Over the last few weeks, I have been working on a work problem.? And it has consumed me – I think about it all the time and have spent days and nights ruminating solutions.? I have found the process equally exhausting and invigorating.? I have a fantastic team of brilliant minds who are helping - this is by no means a one-person problem and I am fortunate to be surrounded by smart people. The picture above is one I snapped as I was leaving the office late on Wednesday.? The sun was setting, the parking lot was mostly empty, and I am pretty sure I was the last person leaving my building for the day.? (It is a holiday week, so no real surprise there).? I had to force myself to go home and step away from the problem – just like I have to force myself to stop working on jigsaw puzzles.

As I was on my drive home, I realized that my “work problem” has become my personal jigsaw puzzle.? We are sorting the pieces, bucketing them by type, working from the outside, and moving to the center to create a complete picture and define the issue.? Like 纽约时报 puzzles, we are teasing out one part of the problem at a time, looking for connections.? Like a tangled knot, we are trying to walk back to the beginning and untie the parts and pieces to understand how they work together. And, like magic tricks, I am really annoyed by the things I do not understand, knowing there is an answer that has not crystalized or that I am not seeing the obvious solution.

In this process of problem solving, I enjoy three of the four parts of the process:

1. Sorting the Issues
2. Finding Connections
3. Understanding Root-Cause
4. Seeing the Obvious Solution

And to be fair, I'll be happy with the fourth one once it's there.

Problem-solving is the leadership place where I am most comfortable. And it probably fits that I work in an industry that is made up of problem solvers. Most of the people who find a career in insurance and claims are tasked with solving problems every day. It is what makes for an exciting, exhausting, and invigorating career where every day is different, and sometimes you are solving a puzzle that's missing some of the pieces.

With this realization, in 2024 I have decided to embrace the title of Problem Solver. I resolved to lean into problems, get excited by the things that seem unsolvable, and say yes to tangled knots - at work or otherwise. I want to reevaluate the things we have discarded in the past as unsolvable and give them a second look. I am fortunate to be surrounded by a talented team who come to work ready to tackle and solve problems daily. I want us to collectively tap into and apply the knowledge we have today that didn't exist yesterday and discover the solutions to the problems that puzzle us.

2024 is the Year of Solving Big Problems. The world needs more problem solvers - we have plenty to figure out - and I am ready.

Oh, and if you are looking for great puzzles and a puzzle board, check out 沃尔玛 ! The Toy Aisle isn't just for kids!

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