How to solve the right problem

The first rule of problem-solving is to solve the right problem. It sounds simple, but it's astonishing how often teams miss the mark.

In fact, research shows that up to 50% of problem-solving time is wasted on the wrong problem. That’s a huge chunk of energy, resources, and creativity thrown away.

Why does this happen?

• Time Pressure: Everyone’s in a rush to act, so we pick the obvious problem—the one that's easiest to address. But easy doesn’t always mean right.

• Familiarity Bias: We’re drawn to problems we've solved before, but the familiar is often a distraction from the real causes.

• Misaligned Priorities: When teams aren’t aligned, they’re solving different problems—often in conflict with each other.

How to break the cycle and solve the right problem:

• Slow Down to Speed Up: Instead of rushing, pause and ask, "How do we know this is the right problem?" Don’t move forward until you’re convinced.

• Make it Simple: Problems are the result of having or doing something that's not working. The simpler and clearer you can describe the problem, the easier it is for everyone to understand and confirm it's the right one to solve.

Get the problem right first, and everything else becomes easier.