6/1/2019 Defining Problems: The Most Important Business Skill You've Never Been Taught

Defining Problems: The Most

Important Business Skill You've Never
Been Taught
Michael Cooper
GUEST WRITER
Founder of Innovators + In uencers

September 26, 2014 4 min read

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Albert Einstein once said, “If I were given one hour to save the planet, I would spend
59 minutes de ning the problem and one minute resolving it.” While that may sound
extreme, it does highlight the importance of de ning problems. It also hints at some
interesting facts: A well-de ned problem often contains its own solution within it,
and that solution is usually quite obvious and straightforward. By de ning problems
properly, you make them easier to solve, which means saving time, money and
resources.

Related: 3 Reasons Why You Are Failing at Problem Solving

Every businessperson needs to master the ability to de ne problems, or challenges,

but very few MBA programs, leadership development programs or management
training programs teach this indispensable skill. I spoke to a group of 80 HR managers
recently and asked if any of them had been taught how to de ne problems. Only one
person raised a hand. That’s common to most business groups I speak with on a
weekly basis. Less than 1 percent of the workforce has been taught how to de ne
problems.

During my rst ve years as a coach, I didn’t know how to de ne problems properly,

but in the ten years since, I’ve learned this critical technique. I use it every single day,
with every single client. It has transformed how I work with people and has made the
work much more impactful. These days, clients will hire me solely based on the fact
that I have the ability to de ne their problems during our very rst conversation
together. When I hear them begin to differentiate between issues, asking, “Which
problem are we solving?” I know that I’ve made a major impact on their business.

Related: Problem Solved

De ning problems is simple and any dif culty that arises is because it requires
patience, repetition and thorough examination. It is the most important element of
critical thinking.

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6/1/2019 Defining Problems: The Most Important Business Skill You've Never Been Taught

You can de ne problems correctly in just three steps I call the Problem De nition
Filter:

1. Explore the current situation. Paint a picture in words by including the

“presenting problem,” the impact it is having, the consequences of not solving the
problem, and the emotions the problem is creating for those involved.

2. Explain. Once you have examined and clearly explained the situation, draft a
simple problem statement by lling in the blank: The problem that we are trying to
solve is: ___________. Distill the problem to its simplest form possible.

3. Ask yourself. “Why is that a problem?” If the answer is another problem, then
congratulate yourself for moving from the “presenting problem” to a deeper problem.
Then ask yourself again, “Why is that a problem?” Do that repeatedly until you either
land on what is obviously the source of all of the problems you’ve identi ed or you
identify unexpected consequences of not solving the problem. If you land on
unexpected consequences, the problem you identi ed right before that is likely your
“source problem.”

Toyota famously created the " ve why’s'' technique for their Six Sigma process
improvement program. While that number was limited to ve why’s, the truth is
sometimes it takes only one why. Other times, it may take 17. Ask as many times as
needed until you get to the source problem.

This high-level overview of the Problem De nition Filter can help you learn how to
de ne the problems in your department or business and determine if you’re wasting
time and resources on poorly de ned problems. When it comes to determining
whether you have de ned a problem well, ask yourself or your collaborators if the
solution to the problem is obvious or straightforward. Also, ask if it is a problem worth
solving -- many problems aren’t.

Related: Creative Problem-Solving Strategies to Test Your Business Idea

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