Right Attitudes

Ideas for Impact

Leading Teams

Why We’re So Bad At Defining Problems

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Why We're So Bad At Defining Problems You can’t solve a problem unless you fully understand it. The quality of your solution is usually tied to how well you define the problem, as the often-misattributed quote goes, “If I had an hour to solve a problem, I’d spend 55 minutes thinking about the problem and five minutes thinking about solutions.

Unfortunately, many organizations still haven’t embraced this crucial lesson. Problem definition is challenging because many organizations focus on quick fixes rather than thoroughly understanding the issues at hand.

A solution-focused culture obscures true problem identification.

In such a culture, managers feel pressured to find immediate fixes and achieve short-term goals. They also tend to fall in love with solutions too quickly, even if these solutions don’t address the real issues. Deep, evidence-based inquiry into dormant problems and potential points of failure that may have long-term impacts are often neglected. Discussing problems, especially when the organization itself might be part of the problem, is seen as taboo or a sign of weakness.

Idea for Impact: Resist Solutionist Behaviors

Develop a greater appreciation for identifying problems.

Problem identification should be an ongoing activity, helping your boss, team, and customers identify and solve the right problems while resisting inherent solutionist behaviors.

By encouraging a culture that truly falls in love with problems, not just solutions, you not only improve your chances of solving them but also pave the way for a better, less complicated organization.

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The Pros and Cons of Leading by Consensus: Compromise and Accountability

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Leading by Consensus: Compromise and Accountability Some HR folks encourage a consensual leadership style, where decisions are made through shared information and collaboration. This approach makes employees feel valued, fostering a harmonious and productive team. Plus, diverse viewpoints lead to well-rounded decisions (as with the Japanese Ringi-Seido decision-making process) that gain widespread support.

However, finding consensus requires extensive discussion, negotiation, and agreement, which can be time-consuming and slow decisions, especially when quick action is needed. Overemphasis on consensus can also stifle genuine opinions, creating a ‘herd mentality’ and making it hard for unique perspectives to be heard. Consensus often leads to compromises, resulting in middle-ground decisions rather than the best solutions. Additionally, shared responsibility can obscure accountability if things go wrong, even if the focus is on problem-solving rather than blame.

Idea for Impact: Consensus is not the goal; making the right call is. A manager’s job is to ensure all perspectives are heard and considered, and if necessary, to break ties and make the final decision.

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Why Group Brainstorming Falls Short on Creativity and How to Improve It

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Why Group Brainstorming Falls Short on Creativity and How to Improve It Seventy years ago, American advertising executive Alex Osborn impacted the field of management with his book Applied Imagination (1953.) This groundbreaking work introduced the concept of brainstorming, marking the beginning of a more collaborative and inclusive approach to leadership. At that time, the prevailing style of leadership was characterized by command-and-control, emphasizing silos and solitary decision-making. Executives relied on traditional chalkboard to-do lists to guide their actions.

Psychologists investigating the “illusion of group productivity” quickly discovered a significant flaw in brainstorming. Despite its intention to boost creativity and generate numerous ideas through collaboration, group brainstorming proved less effective than individual brainstorming, followed by the pooling of ideas.

Here’s an enhanced version of the group brainstorming practice that can foster better and more daring ideas. Begin by providing individuals or pairs with personal space for separate contemplation, allowing their thoughts to wander freely. Then, encourage them to share their ideas, including the unconventional and impractical ones, to ignite the group brainstorming session. This approach eliminates the awkwardness of everyone staring at each other in silence. Instead, it creates an environment conducive to fruitful discussions. It prevents anyone from monopolizing the conversation, attempting to prove others wrong, impressing superiors, or simply rambling for personal amusement. Furthermore, this approach effectively guards against premature judgment, which stifles creativity.

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Frontline Creativity: Small Ideas, Big Impact

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Empowering Frontline Workers: Unleashing the Power of Small Creative Ideas Frontline workers are right in the thick of it all—they’re the ones with their finger on the pulse. They see firsthand what’s working smoothly and what’s not, acting like customer whisperers, understanding exactly what people want and where things are going wrong.

But often, they keep quiet about what they observe. Can you blame them? Their to-do lists are endless—they’re racing against deadlines, handling customer frustrations, navigating strict policies and guidelines, and juggling a mountain of requirements. They barely have a spare minute to address the root issues.

Speaking up feels like walking on eggshells. They fear causing a fuss or feeling like their voice won’t count.

Listen to Your Frontline Heroes; They Know What’s Up

As a leader, you can change the game by opening up lines of communication with your frontline team. Spend some time in the trenches. Dedicate an hour each week or an afternoon each month, depending on the chaos, and gather everyone for brainstorming sessions. What are the major issues you need to tackle in your operations? How can you collectively solve them, and how can you ensure those changes stick?

Foster an environment that celebrates quirky, out-of-the-box ideas. Provide people with the time and resources they need to tweak their work and bring their ideas to life. And involve everyone in the process. Remember, real change takes time—sometimes months. But it’s worth the wait. Most companies lack patience, but those that do usually thrive at the grassroots level.

Idea for Impact: Frontline Feedback Drives Real Change

Companies must rethink how they perceive frontline employees. Sure, processes and technology can handle a lot, and automating processes can save heaps of money. But frontline workers are the lifeblood of the company—they’re the ones who truly connect with customers. They represent your brand. Don’t underestimate their insights. Treat them as the problem-solvers and brand ambassadors they are, and give them a voice in the mix.

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Equip for Victory: Prebriefing Builds Strategic Readiness

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Equip for Victory: Prebriefing Builds Strategic Readiness When military leaders are prepared for a mission or operation, they’re furnished with key information and discussion topics in advance. This prebriefing ensures thorough familiarity with mission details, objectives, and potential challenges, ensuring they’re well-informed and able to effectively lead their teams during the operation.

When you’re setting up big delegations or missions and all folks might not know what’s really going on, organize an orientation session and conduct a pre-briefing. Craft comprehensive talking points encompassing delegation objectives, stakeholders, ground realities, challenges, and desired outcomes. Offer requisite background information and context, including historical or cultural nuances, potential sensitivities, contentious areas, or strategic imperatives influencing discussions.

Idea for Impact: Pre-briefing equips teams to advocate effectively and fosters accountability, minimizing surprises and enabling effective handling of contingencies.

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  4. The Pros and Cons of Leading by Consensus: Compromise and Accountability
  5. Empower Your Problem-Solving with the Initial Hypothesis Method

Talk to Your Key Stakeholders Every Week

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Stay Connected, Stay Informed: Weekly Conversations with Key Stakeholders Get into the routine of catching up with your key stakeholders from various roles regularly.

You don’t need to have long meetings—even just a quick ten-minute chat can do wonders.

Think of it like doing regular walk-abouts to keep your ear to the ground. You’ll stay in the loop and spot any areas that need attention.

Plus, you’ll strengthening relationships. Being accessible and open to listening encourages people to speak up and deal with issues then and there. You’ll nip problems in the bud.

Idea for Impact: Stay connected, stay informed. Being open goes a long way.

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Embracing Cultural Sensitivity: A Case Study of Akira Kurosawa’s Oscar Speech

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Consider the acceptance speech delivered by the renowned director Akira Kurosawa when he received the Honorary Award at the 62nd Academy Awards in 1989. This award recognized his lifetime achievements and his significant impact on filmmaking, both in Japan and internationally.

I am very deeply honored to receive such a wonderful prize, but I have to ask whether I really deserve it. I’m a little worried, because I don’t feel that I understand cinema yet. I really don’t feel that I have yet grasped the essence of cinema. Cinema is a marvelous thing, but to grasp its true essence is very, very difficult. But what I promise you is that from now on I will work as hard as I can at making movies and maybe by following this path I will achieve an understanding of the true essence of cinema and earn this award. George [Lucas], Steven [Spielberg]. Thank you.

In the Western world, some may perceive this language as a display of false modesty. It appears that the legendary Kurosawa, whose cinematic genius revolutionized storytelling, downplays his abilities and achievements, seemingly deflecting praise.

Let’s Be Cautious Not to Impose Norms We Call Our Own

While Kurosawa’s speech might come across as insincere or disingenuous, it’s important to consider cultural relativism. Different cultures have varying values, norms, and philosophical perspectives. What might be seen as a positive sentiment in one culture can be perceived differently in another.

Respecting Diversity: Avoiding Imposing Personal Norms As this case study illustrates, the concept of humility in Asian cultures may differ from that in Western cultures. Many Eastern cultures approach humility not merely as an understanding of personal limits, but as a way to let go of the self, understand one’s place in the larger scheme of existence, and connect with a greater reality. (In contrast, Western traditions, for they’re based in Abrahamic traditions, often conceptualize humility as submission to God.) Eastern traditions encourage adopting a particular perspective on life, focusing on understanding the small role one plays in a vast universe, appreciating others, and recognizing their inherent worth. For instance, in Buddhism, one of the elements of the eight-fold path is “right intention,” which involves freeing oneself from selfishness, partly achieved through humble thought.

Idea for Impact: Cultural sensitivity is essential to avoid unintentional offense. Interpreting sentiments and communication within the cultural and philosophical context of the individuals involved is crucial for effective cross-cultural understanding and respect.

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Kickstart Big Initiatives: Hackathons Aren’t Just for Tech Companies

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Kickstart Big Initiatives: Hackathons Aren't Just for Tech Companies In the late 1990s, hackathons emerged as compressed events on university campuses. Open-source software teams organized these gatherings to bring together enthusiasts and drive progress forward over a few days. Yahoo! introduced its inaugural “Hack Day” in December 2005.

In its early days, Facebook popularized the concept by hosting daylong hackathon events every four to eight weeks. At each event, around 300 employees gathered in the morning to brainstorm and form teams. By the day’s end, these teams churned out 50 “first-stage-done” prototypes, ranging from backend engineering upgrades to small product features that could be easily implemented. Notably, Facebook’s iconic ‘Like’ button originated from one of these hackathons.

Internal Hackathons Unleash the Innovation Mode

Hackathons offer clear advantages over traditional innovation management processes, bringing a sense of urgency and focus that stems from working under strict deadlines. This intensity ensures that motivated individuals come together to refine their ideas into actionable plans.

Sometimes referred to as “FedEx Days,” a term popularized by the Australian enterprise software company Atlassian, hackathons encourage creativity by allowing employees to team up quarterly and work on ideas outside their regular duties, such as fixing bugs or developing new features. Teams are expected to deliver proof-of-concept prototypes overnight, hence the reference to the quick delivery service FedEx.

Hackathons have become mainstream, with organizations using them as an enjoyable and cost-effective way to drive innovation. For instance, in 2011, New York hosted a “Reinvent NYC.gov” hackathon to redesign the city’s official website. Similarly, in 2014, toy company Hasbro held a with 150 designers, generating 45 new ideas in just a few days. More impressively, in 2018, the Vatican organized a three-day hackathon to address global issues such as social inclusion, refugees, and interfaith understanding.

Why You Should Give Hackathons a Try (& Advance Your Side Projects)

Try a Personal Hackathon---Conquer 'Someday' Projects Now Could your organization, community, or home use an internal hackathon? It’s an excellent way to shake things up, break routines, and foster innovation. A hackathon can also tackle those lingering “someday we’ll get to this” projects—like spring-cleaning, organizing, refining processes, and enhancing best practices.

During a hackathon, you can pursue initiatives that fall outside anyone’s core responsibilities and often get overlooked amid the chaos of schedules and deadlines. In the week leading up to the event, gather for a whiteboard session to brainstorm and refine ideas that might not have surfaced otherwise. A hackathon provides a fun opportunity to recognize talent, promote cross-team collaboration, and accomplish tasks quickly.

Similarly, could you benefit from a personal hackathon? Consider dedicating a full day or even just an afternoon to clear backlogs, reorganize your space, kickstart a passion project, or tackle something you’ve been putting off.

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Empower Your Problem-Solving with the Initial Hypothesis Method

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Empower Your Problem-Solving with the Initial Hypothesis Method McKinsey, the renowned management consultancy firm, is celebrated for its rigorous problem-solving methodology, famously known as the ‘McKinsey Way.’ This structured approach is centered on the concept of the Initial Hypothesis. When confronted with complex business challenges, McKinsey consultants embark on a process that begins with formulating an educated guess about the underlying issues or opportunities. This initial hypothesis isn’t mere speculation; it’s firmly rooted in preliminary research, data analysis, and market trends.

McKinsey’s Hypothesis-Driven Approach to Problem Solving

'The McKinsey Way' by Ethan Rasiel (ISBN 0070534489) Leveraging their deep industry expertise, McKinsey consultants draw upon their knowledge of similar situations to craft this initial hypothesis. It serves as the foundation for further investigation, offering a structured framework for problem-solving and acting as a testable proposition. As consultants delve deeper into the problem, they continuously assess and refine their hypothesis based on emerging insights and evidence.

Through this iterative process, McKinsey teams unearth hidden patterns, pinpoint root causes, and develop more robust recommendations for their clients. By grounding decision-making in sound reasoning and data-driven insights, McKinsey ensures that their solutions are not only effective but also thoroughly vetted and validated.

Get Grounded in Evidence, Navigate Problems with Structure

'The McKinsey Mind' by Ethan Rasiel (ISBN 0071374299) The McKinsey Initial Hypothesis method emphasizes clarity, evidence, collaboration, flexibility, and continuous improvement in problem-solving endeavors—starting with an initial hypothesis can significantly benefit your approach to complex problems, catalyzing data collection and detailed examination. By rigorously validating or invalidating your initial hypothesis and adjusting it accordingly, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of the problem, along with a clearer grasp of associated risks and opportunities.

Be aware of the limitations of the initial hypothesis approach, though. It may be influenced by preconceived notions or existing solutions, limiting creativity and exploration. In such cases, adopt a more exploratory approach to fully uncover and address the complexities of the problem at hand, especially when innovative solutions and fresh perspectives are required.

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How Toyota Thrives on Imperfection

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Toyota's Reflection Ritual: Perfecting Success with 'Hansei' The Japanese seamlessly blend their way of life with business, offering valuable lessons for the rest of us. Central to their culture is “Hansei“—deep self-reflection to acknowledge mistakes and plan prevention strategies. Hansei is practiced ad infinitum and consistently. It’s vital for personal and professional growth, both individually and collectively.

Toyota exemplifies this approach. Even after success, every team holds reflective “Hansei-Kai” meetings, akin to After Action Reviews (AARs.) The notion of everything being flawless is actively discouraged; instead, the culture stresses that “no problem is a problem.” If the team fails to identify any issues, it suggests they didn’t exert enough effort to meet expectations (highlighting areas for improvement,) lacked critical or objective analysis, or perhaps needs to cultivate more humility.

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