The discomfort of “not knowing” drives many of us to rush through the problem-solving process, clinging to solutions that feel most familiar based on our limited experience, beliefs, and biases.

Unfortunately, that limited definition of the problem then traps you within an even more limited set of possible solutions. The narrower your initial frame of the problem, the lower the chance that you’ll come up with a truly effective and efficient solution.

So what’s the alternative?

Leaning into your curiosity and slowing down long enough to explore the problem from multiple angles.

Problem solving is about EQ as much as IQ. Developing the emotional intelligence and self-control needed to get curious about the right questions, instead of always rushing to the most familiar answer.

“If you have an hour to solve a problem, follow in the footsteps of Albert Einstein and spend 55 minutes identifying the right problem and 5 minutes devising possible solutions.” (Ozan Varol)

You may find that your best ideas suddenly pop into your head, seemingly from nowhere, simply by framing the problem in a different way.

The problem-solving process itself may look different for each of us. It could be as simple as sitting quietly with a note pad or taking a walk. It could be working on a white board or jumping on a team Zoom call.

Whatever the specific process, your curiosity will always be the driving force for breakthrough insights. Curiosity is what fuels your willingness to:

• Resist the urge to jump into solution mode.
• Deeply explore and understand the problem.
• Give your imagination the time and space it needs to connect new dots in new ways.

What will you do today to approach your business problems with more curiosity?

Will you create a bit of space to explore instead of just react?