At our November Strategy Mastermind Group, we learned how to Problem Solve.  I opened up the discussion with an hour rundown of the People-Centric Problem Solving process detailing how to divide and conquer problems (opportunities) within an organization.  Then Kurt Theobald, CEO of Classy Llama Studios and author, led the group in a game in a segment called "Kurt's Dojo".... and all of the training went out the window and chaos happened!

The game simulated an organization attacking a variety of problems.  The organization as a whole earned points by performing tasks between objectives.  There were 7 different objectives (problems) to work on to earn points. 

As expected, the group went to work on tasks and failed to develop a strategy for how to best work the overall system to achieve the most points.  Tasks were duplicated.  Resources were put on projects that lead to negative points.  People got frustrated.  Some were saying that the game was pointless and a few even got visibly mad.

In case you haven't figured it out, this exercise might look familiar to you.  It might be your business.  All too often, we like to be busy plugging away at tasks without determining what path or strategy we want to follow.  We don't take a few minutes to utilize our strengths and apply them effectively at maximizing what we can accomplish.  We just go to work...  and it is frustrating.

The feedback I have received so far from participants was very exciting.  Now as members of the group... I would like your feedback!  What did you learn from the from the experience?

I once read a book (I think it was Outliers) that contained a great interpretation of a phenomenon we all have observed.  Why are Asian students so much better at math than American students?

The education system is often times blamed, but in this book the author gives a different interpretation based on some studies.  It simply showed that Asian students and American students are both equally talented in mathematics, but Asian students are more likely to work longer to solve a problem, where many American students simply shrug and say "I can't do this". 

As a culture, we often go for the quick answer.  If asked what 15 x 15 is without access to a calculator, we are quick to say "I don't know".  Instead, if we (as a professor from college would tell us every day) keep our wits about us, we could solve this problem.  10 x 15  is 150.  5 x 15 is 75.  15 x 15 = 150 + 75 = 225.  The answer isn't on the tip of our tongues, but the path to the answer is.

Problem solving is a lost art in many businesses.  A problem, barrier, or opportunity (these are all the same things in my book) is presented to an individual or a team and the team doesn't see the solution...  so they give up, leaving several potential solutions and the opportunity to not only solve the problem, but come together as a team, on the table. 

In our Strategy Mastermind Group, we are going to start talking about Problem Solving in more detail, but in this introductory article, I want to get one key point across to you...  you probably already know how to solve most of your problems... you just aren't sticking with it.  You need to "work the problem".  You need to take a few steps toward the solution and see if the path presents itself.  Stick with it and untapped opportunity can be yours!

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