Is “Problem” a Dirty Word?
Challenge. Issue. Obstacle. Snag. There are a lot of words for “problem.” The word itself seems to signify something negative. But, is it?
A problem is a difficult question proposed for discussion or solution
The art of problem solving is a sought after skill for employees and a critical component of creating processes and products. There’s no doubt it’s a focus for most organizations. I challenge that the most critical part of the process is defining the problem itself. It's how you view the problems you’re faced with that makes the difference. How you define it determines solutions and, ultimately, long term success.
Observe it: Can you slow down, pause, and look deeper at the problem? Having the opportunity to view the problem as it’s happening or talk to the people experiencing it can impact your view on what it is. Before jumping into a solution, these observations can add insights. Which brings us to…
Reframe it: How can you describe the problem now, without judgement? Challenging your perspective is important to the continued growth of yourself and your team. Businesses need to keep questioning and changing to survive. Reframing helps find a better problem to solve by understanding the why’s. Describing a problem in different ways helps to generate creative solutions.
Question it: Why is it a problem? Then, ask why again and again until you are at the source. In Six Sigma, a data driven approach to process improvements and defect elimination, this is called the root cause analysis technique. To solve the problem, we need to find the fundamental reason for it.
“Problem” may feel like a dirty word because in a sense, what you’ll wind up doing is cleaning up. A word that fosters investigation, pushes your comfort zone, gets you thinking, and makes you do better is anything but.
