How To Become A Problem-Solving Genius

Did you know that, according to the Collective Noun Catalog, a group of cardiologists is called a pulse? A group of florists is called a bouquet? A group of artists is called a palette?

Today’s topic is how you can turn a growl of bosses into a quiver of geniuses by using a simple problem-solving framework.

One of my favorite problem-solving frameworks was introduced by Gino Wickman in his book, "Traction." The framework is called "IDS" - Identify, Discuss, and Solve.

I love it because it’s simple, practical, and repeatable - which makes it easy to establish as a norm on any team. But it’s also brutal in its ability to push teams into confronting deep issues they’ve been avoiding for too long.

Here’s the gist of it:

• Identify: The initial articulation of a problem is almost never the real problem - but rather a symptom. Identifying the actual problem is a critical first step, and - if done right - takes much longer than the other two steps.

• Discuss: Teams often find this to be the most difficult step because of the complex swirl of emotions, perspectives, and biases. You know that culture of candor, humility, and joy you’ve worked so hard to establish? It really pays off here.

• Solve: This is what it’s all about. You can’t solve what you haven’t properly identified and sincerely discussed. But it’s easy to stop after the first two steps and not actually do the hard work of solving the problem.

In your next team meeting, try taking some time to identify the most critical issues, and making time to discuss and solve them.

Have a great week!