Here’s a quick recap of the five steps for solving complex business problems:

1. Pick a high-level, fact-based, and objective goal.
2. Zoom out to clearly see all the big links in the chain (the critical functional outcomes needed to achieve your goal).
3. Identify the weakest big link in your chain.
4. Zoom in and look more closely at the smaller links.
5. Solve the problem (fix the right link—one that’s small enough to wrap your head around, but not so small that fixing it makes little difference).

Let’s dig a bit deeper into this last step, using the following problem as an example…

“We’ve not yet clearly defined the ideal customer profile—including their specific needs and challenges—that our marketing and sales strategies will be built around.”

What if instead of immediately trying to figure out a solution, you took the time to look at the problem from multiple angles? By taking a step back, you open yourself up to a much broader field of possible solutions than if you just approached the problem from one narrow point of view.

How can you see a problem from multiple angles? It starts with asking yourself better questions, like:

• Why haven’t we defined our ICP yet? What’s been getting in the way?
• How might other people in my company be interpreting this problem?
• What are all the moving parts, components, and assets that need to be in place?
• What specific decisions would we need to make in order to solve this problem?
• What are the first principles that relate to this problem? The core truths that we need to be aware of to make a good decision?

By taking the time to ask better questions and look at your problem from multiple angles, you may be surprised at how much easier it is to discover a breakthrough solution.

What will you do today to start asking better questions before jumping into “solution mode”?

Will you give yourself some time to explore your problem from multiple perspectives?