Problem Solving Framework for Leaders

Leaving the entire problem solving to experts deprives us of everything we could have learnt by attempting to solve a problem ourselves.

Becoming a better problem solver starts with how we learn.

• Learning from our attempts to solve a problem.
• Learning from experts on how they solve a problem.

It’s only when we combine both, can we be best at problem solving.

Here’s my framework that’ll enable you to strengthen rapport with your team instantly, and turn you into an expert eventually.

1. Before delegating, try to solve the problem yourself using available resources, even if you’re not an expert in the domain. This allows you to understand the problem better and empathise with and appreciate the people you may eventually delegate it to.
2. When you feel overwhelmed and can’t make much progress, call in the experts.
3. Explain the problem well and provide necessary information to experts so as to accelerate the creation of its solution.
4. Share all the possible solutions that you tried and learn where you went wrong.
5. Enlighten yourself by observing how the experts solve the problem. Ask lots of questions to understand the ‘how’.