What strategies do you employ in problem-solving? Here are a few related posts you may have missed.
“You cannot dream yourself into a character, you must hammer and forge yourself into one.”
“Don’t cut strings when you can untie knots.”
“Fall in love with the problem, not the solution.”
What skills or strategies do you employ in problem-solving? Here are a few posts related to problem-solving you may have missed.
“Each problem that I solved became a rule which served afterwards to solve other problems.”
“From the errors of others, a wise man corrects his own.”
Image from Unsplash by Hans-Peter Gauster
Consider all the roles and responsibilities you have in a typical day. How is it that you create value in your professional and personal communities?
Which of these efforts create the greatest intrinsic and extrinsic value for others and at the same time bring the greatest joy and life satisfaction to you?
Consider the overlapping of these areas as your personal and professional brand or niche. How much of your day do you expend in these efforts versus those that feel like an obligation or burden?
What are your special talents and unique abilities that light you up and solve meaningful problems in the world?
How might you realign your daily efforts to spend far more of your precious time doing what you were meant to do?
Image from Unsplash by Dallas Reedy
Are you a builder?
All of us are, to some degree.
Take a trip into your memory banks to revisit the sand castles, school projects, tree houses, do-it-yourself projects, and perhaps even a business, you have begun or completed.
How much time and effort went into each example? Which of these have stood the test of time?
If you enjoy the idea of building extraordinary things, consider checking out the series Impossible Engineering on the Science Channel. Each episode details how giant structures and record-breaking buildings are built, how they work, and how they have shaped our modern world.
What are some of your most important personal and professional projects?
How will you maximize your efforts and levels of commitment to make sure they are built to last?
Image of Hans Rosling from TED.com
Looking at anything and declaring it a problem is a very human thing to do. In many ways, this very characteristic is what makes us human.
In his fascinating book, Factfulness, professor of international health and global TED phenomenon Hans Rosling and his colleagues Anna and Ola, offer an amazing new explanation of why we see the state of the world as far worse than the facts reveal.
Rosling explains what he calls the “Ten instincts that Distort our Perspective.” Among them are:
Rosling and his team of researchers are by no means blind to the significant challenges facing the world. He is, however, asking all of us to look closely and clearly at the objective facts to better enable us to tackle the very real problems facing humanity.
What is at least one significant opportunity in our world that you are committed to working on, given this clearer and objective perspective?
Please consider watching Hans Rosling’s TED Talks, and if you wish to learn more about his important work, read his book.
Image from Flickr by Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, University of Michigan
In the movie, Miss Congeniality (2000), Sandra Bullock plays an undercover FBI Agent posing as a contestant when terrorists threaten to bomb the Miss United States beauty pageant. Bullock’s character, Gracie, is the only female FBI agent who can “look the part” despite her complete lack of refinement and femininity. She prides herself in being “just one of the boys” and is horrified at the idea of becoming a girly girl.
Since the film was a comedy, the audience wasn’t alarmed. We all happily watched all the interplay of contestants and other characters. In one scene, the contestants were asked about their personal goals and aspirations. Almost every contestant mentioned world peace at some point in their response.
In today’s dynamic and often violent world, we sure could use more people working on world peace in their personal and professional lives. If all of us did our part, we would never need a council table or treaty, which as President Hoover points out, rarely works.
What heartfelt attitudes and actions can you share in your communities to bring about greater peace on earth?
Image from www.dailymail.co.uk
The ostrich doesn’t really bury its head in the sand —it wouldn’t be able to breathe! But the female ostrich does dig holes in the dirt as nests for her eggs. Occasionally, she’ll put her head in the hole and turn her eggs.
People, on the other hand, often “bury their heads in the sand,” ignoring problems for long periods of time, hoping they will simply go away.
What issue or problem have you been avoiding, professionally or personally? Where would summoning the courage to take this issue “head on” make the biggest difference?
image from haveyoueverpickedacarrot.com
Today’s quote comes from the world of horticulture, where trimming a bud from a plant prevents it from becoming a flower or a piece of fruit.
Since most of us appreciate the beauty of flowers and the sweet taste of fruit, it would seem there would be little use for that advice, but this form of gardening prevents overgrowth or the spreading of unwanted issues.
As a metaphor in our lives, nipping things in the bud is a good practice when we wish to stop a potential problem before it blossoms into a major issue.
Where and on what issue would nipping it in the bud serve you best, personally or professionally?
Image from Flickr by Or Reshef
A growing body of evidence demonstrates the ability of the unconscious mind to work on a problem that requires a creative solution. Similar results have been gleaned in studies on daydreaming, and its value in producing creative and more original ideas.
Turning inward mobilizes the right hemisphere of the brain. The sleeping or relaxed brain cuts out many distractions, which leads to greater capacity to solve problems.
How can you invest in a good night’s sleep, a power nap, or even a bit of daydreaming to more fully tap your creative problem-solving powers?
image from Humaxnetworks.com
What do top organization like IBM, Boeing, General Motors, and Bristol Myers Squibb have in common?
They have all used the Reciprocity Ring Exercise developed by University Sociologist Wayne Baker, and his wife Cheryl, at Humax.
The process involves groups in which the members ask for something important to them in their personal or professional lives. Requests are put out to the group and all participants make connections, offer introductions to contacts, or give other, more tangible help with achieving the member’s goals.
Check out the Reciprocity Ring Exercise and consider using it to help others in your professional or personal world solve problems and achieve their dreams.