In Front

 

Problems bring pain. Maybe it's physical, or emotional, or logistical-- as long as the problem is there, so is that pain.

When we solve the problems in front of us we can put the pain behind us.

-- doug smith

The Right People

Who do you get to help you solve your problem?

You, of course, that's a given. Also, people who will be impacted by any solution you try. People who are feeling the effects of the problem right now. Even (especially) people who you think may be at the root cause of the problem.

Engage the right people in creating problem solutions so that they don't become the wrong people while implementing them.

-- doug smith

 

More, please

How many solutions does your problem need?

Sometimes the answer is just one more. It could also be that your problem needs twenty more before you find the one that sticks.

Finding solutions is the fun part anyway so just keep going. 

Create more solutions to a problem than you need in order to find one that works.

-- doug smith

 

An Important Pause

We're all in a hurry. Urgency is a way of life. When we're working on a problem it feels as if the faster we solve it the better.

But, have you ever solved a problem only to shortly discover that you haven't solved it at all? New complications arise. Surprises confound you. The problem roars back.

The worry creates the hurry. The rush is not enough. Better to find the actual cause of the problem and face that issue. 

Taking time to analyze a problem will save time in solving it.

And that saves time overall.

That pause you take may be more important than you thought.

-- doug smith

 

Centered First

Sometimes it's more important to be centered than to be right.

-- doug smith