Notes - LeaderShip

 

1. An ill-defined mess or pain point
2. A goal we don’t know how to reach
3. A solution someone fell in love with
4.   -> What is the problem
   Hard-to-reach goals require people to come up with new ideas rather than sticking to business as usual.
   For instance, many successful innovations hinge on rethinking what customers really care about, versus what the existing solutions in the market cater to.
   
   

   1. Is the statement true?
   When looking at a problem statement, a good first question to ask is, How do we know this is true? Could this be incorrect?*
   

   2. Are there simple self-imposed limitations?
   To find self-imposed limitations, simply review the framing of the problem and ask: How are we framing this? Is it too narrow? Are we putting constraints on the solution that aren’t necessarily real?
   

   3. Is a solution “baked into” the problem framing?
   Are there other things in play? How about our promotion processes? How about informal connections? Do women get less exposure to senior decision makers?
   

   4. Is the problem clear?
   

   

   
   

   CHAPTER SUMMARY

   frame the problem

   

   Before you can reframe a problem, you first have to frame it, giving you something to work on. To do so:

   • Ask, “What problem are we trying to solve?” This triggers the reframing process. You might also ask “Are we solving the right problem?” or “Let’s revisit the problem for a second.”
   • If possible, quickly write a problem statement, describing the problem in a few sentences. Keep it short, and use full sentences.
   • Next to the statement, list the main stakeholders: Who is involved in the problem?

   Once you have the first framing, subject it to a quick review. Look for the following in particular:

   • Is the statement true? Is the elevator actually slow? Compared to what? How do we know this?
   • Are there self-imposed limitations? At TV2, the team asked “Where can we find money?” instead of assuming it had to come out of their own budget.
   • Is a solution “baked into” the problem framing? Often, problems are framed so that they point to a specific answer. This is not necessarily bad, but it’s important to notice.
   • Is the problem clear? Problems don’t always present as problems. Often, you are really looking at a goal or a pain point in disguise.
   • With whom is the problem located? Words like we, me, and they suggest who may “own” the problem. Who is not mentioned or implicated?
   • Are there strong emotions? Emotional words typically indicate areas you should explore in more depth.
   • Are there false trade-offs? Who defined the choices you are presented with? Can you create a better alternative than the ones presented?

   Once you have completed the initial review, step 1 (Frame) is done, setting you up to reframe the problem.

   
   

look outside the frame

For each problem, remember to look outside the frame:

• Don’t get caught up in the visible details.
• Think about what might be missing from your current framing of the problem.

Once you have done a general review, try to apply the four tactics described in the chapter, summarized here.

1. Look beyond your own expertise

Remember the law of the hammer: we tend to frame problems so that they match our preferred solutions. In Brazil, the finance people focused on the financial metrics of the stock price, overlooking the communications aspect.

Consider the following:

• What is your own favorite “hammer,” meaning the type of solution you are good at applying?
• What type of problem does your hammer match?
• What if the problem was not such a problem: What else could it be?

2. Look to prior events

Recall the shouting match with the teacher in which a prior event may have caused the issue: “Did you eat breakfast this morning?”

Consider:

• How are you framing the problem from a time perspective?
• Did something important happen before the period of time you are looking at?
• For that matter, is there something after the time period that you missed? For instance, do people act a certain way because they fear a future outcome?

3. Look for hidden influences

Remember the marshmallow test and how the researchers overlooked the influence of poverty. Or think about how Pierre figured out the influence his bank’s office building had on recruiting.

Consider:

• Are there stakeholders whose influence you’re missing?
• Are there higher-level, systemic factors at play that influence the people involved?

4. Look for nonobvious aspects of the situation

Remember the light bulb problem, in which a less salient quality—that light bulbs emit heat—led to a more efficient solution than the one most people come up with.

• Are there nonobvious aspects of the problem or the situation that you could look into?
• Do you have data that can help you, or other things that are already available to us?
• How is functional fixedness affecting you?

Finally, are there other things “outside the frame” that you are not paying attention to? Incentives? Emotions? People or groups you have forgotten about? Briefly consider this, and then move on.