A Simple Problem-Solving Rubric
Do you want to solve more problems than you create? Solving problems is something every one of us faces in our work and personal lives on a daily basis. Some folks soften the negative connotation of the word “problem” with the label of “opportunity.” This may put the challenge in a more positive light but doesn’t change the basic premise that a current situation needs to change (presumably, for the better).
We’re all familiar with problem-solving efforts that have gone poorly, or taken too long, or even stalled completely. Sometimes, victory is declared and we later learn the “problem” is still with us. Could it be the wrong approach was used? While it’s true only certain problems can be guaranteed solvable, would it be helpful to understand how the nature of a problem drives the manner in which it should be approached? Would this improve the efficiency of solving it and increase the chance of success?
Read on to learn one simple way of characterizing problems and an effective approach to solving each.
What is a Problem?
A simple definition of a problem is this: something you have, but don’t want. There’s also the inverse of this: something you want, but don’t have. (This is where “opportunity” and “problem” share common ground.) Problems can be rooted in human behavior, or be purely analytical. Often, they have characteristics of both. The ability to solve problems is a desirable skill, and many of us would like to self-promote as being an “expert problem solver.”
A problem is something you have, but don't want. An opportunity is something you want, but don't have.
The key to success lies in diagnosing the category of a problem, and then applying an effective approach to resolving it.
How to Approach Problems
Behavioral Problems
The first step is to classify the problem as behavioral or non-behavioral. This is always straightforward. If the problem relates to how an individual is acting (or not acting), the problem is behavioral. (This rubric is not designed to address “personality conflicts” among two or more people.)
Behavioral problems appear frequently in management situations. A task needs to be accomplished, you assign it to a team member, yet it does not get accomplished. Why? The answer lies in two primary possibilities: the team member is not capable, or he is not motivated. This is the “can’t?” or “won’t?” many of us might have heard as youngsters when one of our parents asked us to complete a chore and we resisted.
With behavioral problems, it is critical for the manager to diagnose the situation as either a lack of motivation or a lack of capability, because the solution approaches are materially different. Motivation—an individual’s personal conclusion that something is not important to do—can only be solved by addressing the motivational causes. These could be priority (set by the manager), or confusion about the value of the activity, or the sense of reward, or the effort involved, or . . . you get the picture. The good news about motivational problems is they can often be solved quickly (by a skilled manager).
On the other hand, capability issues result from an individual not having the requisite skills or knowledge to complete the task. No amount of cajoling, priority adjusting, bribing, or team-shaming is going to solve a capability problem in an individual. They simply lack the ability to do the work. If it is truly a capability issue, and the objective important enough, training can be offered to allow the team member to develop the skill or knowledge, and then be prepared to solve the problem.
Misdiagnosing a behavioral problem’s nature can be catastrophic to the team member, if the wrong solving approach is applied. And it generally doesn’t do much for the manager’s career either.
Misdiagnosing a behavioral problem's nature can be catastrophic to the team member, if the wrong solving approach is applied.
Naturally, the real world is complex, and problems take on multiple characteristics. (More about that later.) In practice, behavioral problems can be a mix of motivation and capability, but it remains important to separate the two and apply the proper response to each aspect of the behavior.
Non-Behavioral Problems
These are problems in the classical sense, often analytic in nature, concentrated on finding a way toward a desired result, given a current starting position; i.e., finding a “solution.” Here, there are three types of problems (asking for indulgence in the imaginative application of the descriptors): determinate, indeterminate, and irrational.
Determinate problems have one, and only one solution. Solved correctly (and importantly, this is the only class of problems where “correct” can be definitively used), anyone and everyone arrives at the same answer. The sum of 2 + 2 = 4, and it is always 4. (We’ll leave the lateral thinking guys to comment later.) The net present value of a stream of cash flows given a fixed cost of money assumption, can be determined precisely and repeatedly, given the formula to do so. What is the approach to solving a determinate problem? Find the person with the knowledge to do so, provide the tools required, and let them work.
Indeterminate problems have more than one correct answer (but also some incorrect ones). Ask any two people how to get to the nearest bar, and you’ll likely receive more than one answer. Ask for directions to home from a given location, and even two different map systems using the same GPS signal may provide different answers. Neither is incorrect. Is that a conflict? No, they are both correct, but yet different. Indeterminate problems still need smart, skilled people (or systems) to solve, but to get to a single result the team can agree upon, apply additional constraints. (“We need a bar with sports screens.” “We need a bar that has jazz music.” “I need to get home the fastest way.” And so on.) Applying constraints—if the constraints are broadly accepted—helps to remove solutions that, while correct, do not apply in the face of the constraints.
Apply constraints to narrow the range of solutions to an indeterminate problem.
Irrational problems are those that have no correct solution. (Or, said another way, many possible solutions that could be correct. Thus, the label.) This could be because the solution won’t be known until the solution steps are executed (“Will Strategy A or Strategy B yield the higher stock price in 5 years?”—the answer is unknowable because at most only one of the strategies can be pursued), or because there simply is no “correct” answer (“What should be the theme of the high school prom this year?”). This is what makes them irrational. Teams can get mired into never-ending analysis and interpretation and idea-sharing and opinion-mongering, when, in the end, the “correct” solution is the one the team agrees to pursue. Even when constraints are applied, possible paths forward can be numerous and fuzzy. (“The prom theme should be wholesome.” “It should fit with a popular song.” Still leaves many options open.) Only time will tell whether the desired result is achieved by pursuing any chosen one of them.
The challenge for us as managers and business leaders is that many (many) of the problems we face fall into the irrational category. Entire books are written to address how to approach these challenging situations, albeit, with more scholarly construction than presented here. Certainly, addressing approaches to solving irrational problems in any detail is outside the scope of the simple rubric presented here. It’s enough to note that irrational problems can consume incredible amounts of time, and yield a result that is not always clear and not always supported by everyone on the team. A skilled mix of carefully defining the objectives, assembling the relevant data, applying any appropriate constraints, and making sure all stakeholders are represented, can be of benefit to attacking irrational problems. Consultants can help navigate the land mines associated with the process of solving them.
The range of problems we face regularly is highly varied, and each comes with its own unique challenges. Maybe this simple problem-solving rubric will help you to approach your next problem with confidence.
Can you think of examples in your work or personal life that fit one of these problem classifications? How did you approach it? Are there opportunities for even more effective problem solving approaches, if a different classification is used? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Terry O’Donovan is an experienced general manager and manufacturing executive living in Columbus, Ohio. He has faced many challenging problems of all types over the course of his career, and been tagged with creating more than one or two of them.
