Most of what each of us does each day in our careers, especially for consultants, can fall under the category of Problem Solving. Therefore, it’s important that you are able to do so effectively.  And more than solving the problem effectively, it’s important to be able to communicate effectively in order to both determine how to solve the problem, and how to deliver your end message back to your audience.

A few years ago, I purchased the book  ‘The McKinsey Mind – Understanding and Implementing the Problem-Solving Tools and Management Techniques of the World’s Top Strategic Consulting Firm’  authored by Ethan M. Rasel and Paul N. Friga. This blog post is the combination of my experience regarding problem solving as a consultant, and some of the takeaways from the book I’ve incorporated into  my approach to problem solving.

Key Components of Effective Problem Solving:

  • Framing the Problem
  • Analyzing the Problem
  • Sourcing Data / Interviewing
  • Understanding the Results
  • Communicating your Recommendation

Framing the Problem

This involves utilizing some sort of structure to define the problem in managable component elements. Structure can help strengthen your thought process around the problem at hand. Consider using visual structures/diagrams to break the problem down. When you’re going through the process of breaking the problem down, ensure your components are unique and don’t overlap, while making sure to include any relevent issue into your structure. Over time, you will develop a set of tools that work for you, that can be leveraged time and time again, but remember, that every problem may be unique and any one tool isn’t a magic bullet. Early on in the process, as you identify key issues, come up with an idea, or a hypothesis of what the solution might be. If you have a hypothesis, you can attempt to prove or disprove it. In other words, don’t just search the haystack randomly, come up with the idea that there’s a needle you’re looking for first!

Also remember: “The Problem” is not always THE problem. Resist tempation to jump to the first conclusion, or the first diagnosis. Dig deeper, ask questions, look for facts. Always look to get to the real problem, though it might not be obvious or the first symptom you come across.

Analyzing the Problem

You’re hoping to identify the key drivers of the problem. It’s easy to get hung up on small details, to overanalyze (analysis paralysis). To combat that, take a look at the big picture, focus on the core issues, and ask yourself is what you’re spending time on getting you closer to your goal, or further away from it? Rule out what is NOT important, so right away you know you don’t have to waste any precious time on those things, look for some quick wins the can make big contributions to prove or refute your initial hypothesis. While you want to be correct, absolute precision might waste too much time, try to get into the right ballpark. If you’re finding it hard to find facts to support or refute your hypothesis directly, look for indirect indicators that may help you triangulate around the problem – use what you know, to help you learn about what you don’t know.

Sourcing Data

Data and facts are key to solving any problem. They are objective. They are also key to communicating out your solution back to the client. Don’t hide from the unpleasant facts, as that is only counter-productive to your problem solving effort. When researching and asking questions, don’t accept “I don’t know” as a valid answer. Everyone always has some sort of idea, or contribution to make. Most often, that response is the manifestation of the resistance to something and your challenge is to figure out the source of that resistance and adjust accordingly.  Start with available reports/statistics, look for key opportunities for investigation, and keep your eye out for best practices and if they are being followed.  Chances are the problem you are facing has been solved before, and thus, it’s important to retain and exploit your experience and your coworkers experiences to help solve similar future problems. To that end, knowledge management is important and part of the value that consultants should be bringing to the table. When it comes to data and quality, remember: garbage in, garbage out!

Sourcing Data: Interviewing

Go into interviews prepared. Know what questions you want to ask, and lay them out in a structured format, as sort of an interview guide or agenda. Consider whittling it down to the top 3 or 4 important questions and letting those spawn additional questions as the discusson goes on. Your time and your interviewee’s time is extremely valuable, be organized and efficent in order to gain the maximum value within the shortest amount of time. Listen. Really listen, and then guide as needed to keep the interview on track. Realize that your interviewee may be feeling stressed under pressure, and be sensitive to any fears they may have. Establish a connection, and explain positive objectives to them. Don’t leave your interviewee feeling regret twoards the process afterwards by being overbearing or too aggressive.  The most difficult interviews will be with the people whom feel their job is being threatened by you, handle those situations professionally and work through it for the benefit of the organization. Always ask an open ended question allowing your interviewee to tell you anything else that’s on their mind. And afterwards, follow up with a Thank you note – resist the urge to skip that small step, it’s important!

Understanding the Results

Approach the results with the same level of analysis as you did when first attempting to understand the problem. Check the data for accuracy, and what needs to be true for that piece of data to be a factor in the overall equation. Like back in math class, check your answer. How far off would your data/analysis need to be to completely change your recommendation?  The 80/20 principle holds true here, focus on what the 20% is doing right, and how you can bring the other 80% in-line. Charts can be helpful tools, and also be sure to keep daily track of what you learned that day that helped move your solution forward. For each piece of the analysis, ask yourself how is it useful and what recommendations it leads to? It’s your job as the consultant to provide insight into the problem you are solving, and you do that by making sound recommendations on the client’s problem. And lastly, don’t try to make the facts fit the solution, as it’s easy to fall into that trap when you’ve already made your hypothesis. Go back, create a new hypothesis if needed, but always ensure you are analyzing objectively.

Communicating your Recommendation

Communication and presentation skills are essential to effective problem solving. You can find the coolest solution ever, but it will mean nothing if you cannot present your findings and recommendations effectively to your clients. Think of it this way, you are selling something – in this case an idea/recommendation – and while you and your team may appreciate the value in that, you need to convince the buyers, your clients. Your presentation is the tool for getting that done and organization, simplicity, and meaningful information is essential for communicating the full impact of your idea. Speaking of meaningful information, charts are great, but they should serve a purpose and not just be there to look pretty. Bullet points are bad, visual representations of ideas are better.  In order to maximize buy-in, walk the key decision makers through your findings before the full presenation. This will help bring major objections out ahead of time, build consensus, and give you a chance to adapt to any external political realities. On presenation day, being flexible and respectful of your audience will go a long way!

The key to effective problem solving is taking a methodical, organized approach to analyzing the problem, and communicating effictively. If you can do those two things well, you’re going to find much better success as solving your problems more effectively.