No duct tape needed...

I love Google — in .39 seconds I can get 174,000,000 results when you query "definition of problem". The first result defines a problem as a matter or situation regarded as unwelcome or harmful and needing to be dealt with and overcome.

There you have it, a straight forward definition so let's move on to dealing with problems (and overcoming them) because that's the fun part.

Wait a moment, maybe not quite yet. 

Let's consider the so called "problem" for a moment because deep down we know that if we really don't understand it fully it will bite back, and make dealing with it a real shit show. 

Intuitively we know that complex problems are more of an issue than simple problems, but how do we define this? I mean, is the complexity of a problem defined by the problem itself, or by how easily the problem is solved? I'm not going to use any examples that involve leaking pipes and using duct tape as a viable solution because it's just a bunny hole for quality problem solving and the utility of duct tape. 

However, let's say that the light bulb burns out in your lamp, which is now a problem —  should be a simple problem to solve with a new lightbulb. But what happens if it goes out again two days later —now maybe it's a more complex problem involving a defective lamp or broader wiring issues. Determining the problem (and the broader situation surrounding the problem) is the foundation for effective problem solving, and definitely if creative thinking is needed down the road. I think it's fair (and practical) to say that simple situations tend to require simple problem assessment, and complex situations more complex problem assessment. 

With that said, why then do we hear this in business (which is very complex)?  "Revenue is down, we have a problem...we need some creative out of the box thinking!!". I've actually heard this so I will make the grand leap and say that it was not just a one off statement in the history of modern business. 

The reality is revenue being down is not the problem, just the bi-product. The problem is somewhere else, probably rather complex and nasty (with two rows of teeth). Maybe that's why we don't hear "Revenue is down, we have a problem, we need to know what we are dealing with". 

Back to my light bulb example — I bet you know of one or two people who would just keep putting a new bulb in the lamp every time it goes out (or just stop using the lamp all together) because they didn't know how to identify the problem, or worse don't really want to. 

There is a certain fearlessness that comes with facing problems — although most are straight forward and mostly inconvenient, there are some that can have great consequence. I'm currently reading a book called "The 50th Law" by 50 cent and Robert Greene that speaks about this so I'm certain I will have more thoughts on this at another time — good read so far and worth checking out.

Creative problem solving should not enter the picture until a Problem is really understood.

I didn't want to get into the detail of problem and situation analysis per se, but I most definitely want to emphasize that problems need to be assessed from both an internal and external perspective — for most of us this forces looking at situations differently and probably not in the way that we are used to. Assess problems thoroughly and differently (and bravely). 

Of course, this is easier said than done. 

iamgpe

Graduating Corporate University — Why I blog

Prelude — On October 29, 2014 I wrote my very first blog entitled Graduating Corporate University. What follows is not that blog but a re-write as I wish I had written it. Don't get me wrong, I am not rewriting the spirit or intent of what I had written two and a half years ago, but rather cleaning up some of the sentence structure, spelling, typos and all those little mistakes that come with something you are starting for the first time...

If you were to ask me how I feel right now I would say I feel like I just graduated university — Let me explain.

My very exciting and very fulfilling corporate career of 22 years has come to an end as the result of a large merger and/or acquisition, and when that kind of event occurs the question becomes what is a person to do after all those meetings, all those projects, and all those presentations... all that "corporate learning" if you will.

Travel of course, and figure out what to do with one's life. 

And that is what I did... as well as exercised, ate better, reconnected with friends, and made new ones; I also attempted the art of mindfulness which I will admit is very much a work in progress. I should mention it is true what they say about taking a six month personal sabbatical — Take it if you can because it rejuvenates the body, mind and soul. 

Now I find myself all educated, all rested, and have the whole world in front of me. What next... back into corporate? "Wait, wait.... WAIT! Let's think about that for a minute". 

Connect all 9 dots using four straight lines, without lifting your pen and without tracing the same line more than once. As you can see, "out of the box thinking"

One of the aspects about having a long "corporate education" is it does afford you some luxuries to evaluate the situation and determine what you REALLY want to do — It also offers a much different perspective as figure out what exactly that is. What I mean by that is when you are 24, right out of university with an eye on marrying the love of your life, it's fair to say the drivers are a little different than after you've graduated with a degree from "Corporate U". 

My skills and competencies are in sales and marketing leadership, management, operations and project management — I'm very much a sales and marketing guy (for better or for worse). As I objectively looked at myself and what I wanted to do I found myself looking at all my skills, my achievements and aligning them with some sort of job. Ultimately each time I did this it just came across flat because I just kept thinking, "Is this the best way to use my Corporate U education and take advantage of this wonderful opportunity in front of me". 

Then one day I took a different tack and asked myself, "What did I enjoy most in my 22 years? Was there a passion that simply gave me energy and true enjoyment... something where I was not working but simply having a wonderful time?"  

And with that my business passion simply appeared — Creative Problem Solving... and not just the thrill of solving a problem (the harder the better), why sometimes we just can't figure it out, and how do we go about "thinking out of the box"? Conceptional to practical, I loved it all. There it was, follow a PASSION of creative problem solving and align it to sales and marketing (which unto itself can be an addictive adrenaline rush). 

But in a practical sense what does it mean?

Well right now I want to understand it, talk about it, get other people's thoughts regarding how it works, and why it doesn't works. And like most PASSIONS, I am just going to follow it and see where it takes me.

As a final note, I will tell you I bite my tongue a little every time I say "out of the box thinking" as it just seems to be so trite and conjures up visions of a rather angry leader pounding on the table saying, "This is unacceptable people! We need some out of the box thinking here!" 

By the way did you know the term was derived from a puzzle that consisted of 9 dots and 4 consecutive straight lines back in the early 80's? All you have to do is connect all 9 dots using four straight lines without lifting your pen and without tracing the same line more than once. As you can see, "out of the box thinking".

Who knew?

Postlude — I have found myself rewriting many of my blogs to repost, use for the reasons, consolidate my thoughts, or simply to become better at writing and communicating. 

It is humbling to say the least when you look back at something you have written and realize that if not for all those typos, meandering sentences, poor grammar, and non sequiturs, it would be a really good blog post. In turn, it is also exciting to recognize that there is a need to improve what I have written in the past, and that more often than not when I am finished the rewrite it is better than the original. 

There is no doubt I blog as part of a professional agenda but the other reason (and really the most important) is blogging is a tangible symbol of development, expression of thought, and the desire to grow into something bigger than I am today.

So I shall continue to blog.

iamgpe