What if the problem you’re trying to solve isn’t actually the right problem to focus on?

It’s easy to assume that problems have only one root cause. A single thread that you can pull that will fix everything.

But the truth is that most challenges have multiple contributing causes, some much easier to resolve than others. When you jump to conclusions about the root cause, you limit your view of the problem and make it much harder to see better solutions.

How you frame and reframe problems can make or break your ability to solve them. Reframing a problem opens up new ways of seeing, new perspectives that can lead to a truly breakthrough solution, and often much more easily than if you stuck with your original assumption.

Reframing is about taking the time to ask better questions, starting with, “Is problem X the right problem to focus on?”

You can then ask yourself other types of questions to see the problem from multiple perspectives. Some questions will help you zoom out to focus on the goal you’re trying to achieve. Other questions will help you zoom in to look at the problem in more detail.

“Before you start spinning out solutions, step back and ask yourself, ‘Am I solving the right problem?’ You’ll find that redefining the problem will unleash far more creative, cheaper, and effective solutions.” (Ozan Varol)

In the next few posts, we’ll explore some real-world examples of reframing in action. But for today, what will you do to start looking at business challenges from a broader perspective?

Will you start by asking yourself, “Is this particular problem the right one to focus on?”