Start With the Problem

Stephen Covey’s second rule of effectiveness is “Begin with the end in mind”, and of course he’s correct. But you can’t really find an answer until you know precisely what the problem is.

Undoubtedly you need to know the desired end, but you also need to know what you have at hand right now. Most times when I get called in to help solve a business or professional problem, the first thing I notice is that nobody has really articulated what the problem is. As I keep asking defining questions, lights begin to go on and as often as not, the answer is right there in front of us.

“It’s too hot in here!” might mean that the furnace is set too high. Or, it might mean that the air conditioner is set too low. Or, it might mean you’re wearing a sweater when none is needed. Or, it might mean you’re running a fever.

“Beginning with the end in mind” will tell us that we want to feel cooler, but “beginning with the problem” actually gets us off to a better start. By taking the time to more fully articulate the question, we start moving toward the answer. “It’s too hot in here because…” transforms the proposition from a raw complaint to a solvable problem. If you can say, “It’s too hot in here because I’m wearing a sweater”, the solution is at hand.

By fully articulating the question or the problem you often dispense with false solutions which would otherwise waste your time. Being clear whether your issue is “It is too hot in here” or “I feel too hot in here” will narrow down your explorations. If you can say with confidence “Despite the fact I have no fever, that the thermostat is set at 21°C, and I am dressed appropriately, thermometers are registering 26°” then you have ruled out “the usual suspects” and can begin to investigate other explanations.

Perhaps somebody took a pie out of the stove an hour ago and left the oven operating and open. Perhaps you have a large south-facing window. Perhaps the nice people in the apartment downstairs are running a meth factory.

Starting with the end in mind is a good rule, but it assumes you understand that you can say with reasonable precision what your starting point is. Until you can clearly articulate your problem, you’re not solving, you’re just groping in the dark.