7 Problem Solving Mistakes To Avoid In Your Business

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Theranos
Bulletproof Problem Solving

1. Settle for weak problem statements, without root cause. Rushing into analysis with a vague problem statement is a clear formula for long hours and frustrated customers. You need clarity around the decision-making criteria and constraints, the time frame required, and an indication of action that will occur when the problem is solved, or not solved.


2. Asserting the answer based on bias, ego, or passion. Asserting any solution without proper validation in this complex world is a recipe for disaster. No matter what your conviction or experience (“I’ve seen this before”), the stakes are too high to try to force an answer. In this age of instant and total communication, you can’t fool customers.


3. Failure to break the problem into component parts. Only by first finding all the cleaving points that allow you to dissect the problem, will you likely find the most serious crux of the issue. Elizabeth Holmes never focused on how many false positive blood tests were sending people to the hospital, or she might not have minimized the problem.


4. Neglecting divergent views and team culture norms. Groupthink amongst a team of managers with similar backgrounds and traditional hierarchy makes it hard for anyone to see the real alternatives clearly. Every leader needs to make sure and listen to people with a diversity of experiences, who are open-minded, and have no ulterior motives.


5. Rely on an incomplete or outdated analytic tool set. Some issues can be resolved with “back of the envelope” calculations, while complex modern issues may demand more time and sophisticated new tools. For example, sometimes no amount of regression analysis is a substitute for a well-designed real world experiment with “big data” analysis.


6. Failure to link conclusions to a compelling action plan. Analytically oriented teams often say, “We’re done” when a solution is found, but don’t follow-through with a plan to communicate complex concepts to diverse audiences, and sell their action plan to stakeholders. Effective solutions capture the total audience with compelling actions.


7. Assuming each problem can be solved once and for all. Rarely is a problem solved totally the first time. Complex problems have a messiness about them that takes you back and forth between hypotheses, analysis, and conclusions, each time deepening your understanding. Expect your problem solving to be iterative and a learning process.