Coaching for Leaders

160: The 5-Step Strategy For Solving Problems, with Michael “Coop” Cooper


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Michael “Coop” Cooper: Innovators + Influencers

Do you feel like you are playing whack-a-mole, constantly putting out fires in your organization? Are others and you clear on the real reason for most problems? In this conversation, I welcome Michael “Coop” Cooper from Innovators + Influencers to share a 5-step strategy that will help you define problems so it’s clear what to do next.

1. Describe the situation
  • There’s a lot of information in the situation that people don’t talk about.
  • This does not have to take as long as most people think it does.
  • 2. Draft a problem statement
    • The problem we’re trying to solve is…
    • Find the simplest statement possible.
    • 3. Ask “Why is that a problem?” (REPEAT)
      • Be aware of the thud factor and the pause.
      • 4. Is this the real problem?
        • Involve someone else
        • 5. Is this problem worth solving?
          • Will it save you time or money?
          • Will it make your company/department more competitive/productive?
          • Will this solution make your work or life easier in the long-run?
          • Does this solution or solving this problem actually align with your company goals?
          • “If I were given an hour to save the world, I’d spend 59 minutes defining the problem and one minute solving it.” -Albert Einstein

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