Problem solving and perspective

It can be easy to get caught up by the idea our view of the world is the one and only correct view. But in reality there can be more than one truth about almost anything, and it just comes down to our perspective and the way we choose to interpret the data. To borrow a quote from the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900), “There are no facts, only interpretations.”   

The easiest way I have to explain this concept is to think about a standard six panel beach ball. If I was sitting directly across from you, and the ball was held up between us, I’d swear the ball was green, white and red. Yet sitting opposite me you would state as confidently that the ball was yellow, orange and blue. Both of these truths would exist at the same point in time and be accurate from our perspective. But by taking a few steps back we’d get a much clearer idea of the bigger picture, and by walking around the ball we would then be able to realise that the ball is in fact comprised of 6 coloured panels. Even though our answers were different, they were accurate from our perspective at that moment.

This idea is important to understand to prevent us becoming so wedded to the correctness of our own interpretation of facts, that we leave little room to consider a different perspective. One of my favourite problem solving methods comes from Edward De Bono, and it’s called “Plus, Minus, or Interesting” or PMI for short. It’s essentially a list building exercise where you list the attributes of your issues into those three categories for further evaluation. And it’s surprising how often a great approach or valuable idea comes out of the “interesting” list. 

So next time you’re trying to solve problems or understand issues more deeply, consider multiple perspectives. And understand that your solution is unlikely to be the only valid way forward at that point in time. After all, there’s more than one way to skin a cat.