It’s easy enough for people to critique what’s in front of them. But it’s equally easy for them to overlook the things that should be there, but aren’t. This is what I call the completeness question. And it’s the key to unlocking insight in pretty much everything.
Continue reading “The completeness question”Category: Problem Solving
Find the cause, fix the problem
All organisations encounter problems from time to time. But it’s all too common for us to focus on attributing blame, rather than on getting to the bottom of what’s gone wrong. This wastes time, money and effort. It also doesn’t solve the actual problem. But there is another way.
Continue reading “Find the cause, fix the problem”Ask not ‘how’, ask ‘why’
Potential clients frequently come to me because they want to do something. They might want to restructure their organisation. Or to develop and implement a new strategy. Or to streamline the delivery of a particular service. In such cases, I have two options available to me. The first will get my clients what they want. But the second will get them what they need.
Continue reading “Ask not ‘how’, ask ‘why’”The problem is the solution
The problem is the solution. This is one of those phrases that has always struck me as slighly odd. A glib proclamation that sounds smart but that doesn’t really add any useful insight. But the more I think about it, the more I realise that it might be a useful idea after all.
Continue reading “The problem is the solution”If you knew the answer, what would it be?
If you knew the answer, what would it be? As a trained coach and someone who spends a lot of my time helping people to get to the bottom of organisational challenges, this is one of my all time favourite questions. On the face of it, sure, it’s nonsensical. But when wielded carefully, it can be liberating, enlightening… and oh-so powerful.
Continue reading “If you knew the answer, what would it be?”