We are often keen to jump in and fix problems as they arise, and may even feel pressured to quickly implement solutions. This approach usually leads to patching a symptom, which can increase the complexity of a business’s operations.

The most important component to problem-solving is spending time in the ‘discovery phase’ in order to understand the true nature of what is happening. By doing this, businesses can dramatically simplify the operations with less effort than originally anticipated.

There may be cultural or self-imposed pressures that lead groups to implement fast solutions and rush the step of understanding. Businesses can mistake thoughtful discussion with time-wasting.

As business owners and senior managers, our role is to create ‘space’ for teams to think through the root cause of problems and craft innovative solutions. Take the pressure off, at least initially, and in a structured way ask the team to explore the questions that they are trying to answer.