Strategies for solving your biggest business problems

Upholstery Journal | August 2008

by Daniel Burrus

Every business has problems, like low cash flow, slow turnaround times, out-of-date technology and long sales cycles, that can halt progress and cause the company to stagnate.

When trying to “fix” the problem, the company gets even more mired in the challenge and can’t seem to find a viable solution. Employees will tend to shift into crisis management and let the problem dictate their every move.

A better solution to solving problems is to skip the problem completely. When you confront a roadblock by leaping over it rather than having it stop you from reaching your goals, you see new solutions that you never realized existed.

It’s important to understand that this strategy is different than procrastination or avoidance. It is based on recognizing the real, underlying problem and making a conscious decision to find a way to move forward instead of being blocked by it.

This solution is a great way to free your mind and see the problem in a new light. Consider these real-life examples of how this solution helps companies overcome challenges and make smarter decisions.

• In order to meet an increased demand for its products, a new, small manufacturing business would have to borrow the capital necessary for a major expansion. Without a track record, the bank rejected the loan request. The company skipped the problem by pre-selling its products, and with advanced orders in hand, it was able to secure the loan.
• Instead of purchasing expensive software and servers now and then having to upgrade in a few years, companies are skipping the problem by using application service providers (ASP) that provide products via the Internet and charge a flat fee per user.
• A pharmaceutical company decided that in order to solve molecular problems faster and accelerate new product development it would need to triple the number of R&D employees, which it couldn’t afford. The company was able to skip the problem of hiring expensive employees by creating an online scientific forum, wherein the company posts difficult chemical and molecular problems and offers cash to anyone who solves them. The company created a global, virtual R&D talent pool and pays only if the researchers come up with a working solution.

Don’t get stuck; move forward

A difficult problem can easily become so large that it seems impossible to solve. The result is often procrastination, and the longer the problem is in place, the more you are convinced that there are no solutions. Here are a few simple steps you can use to skip your problem:

• Find the real problem by skipping what you perceive to be the problem. For example, the pharmaceutical company previously mentioned thought their problem was not having the budget to hire additional staff. But when it skipped that problem the company realized that the real problem was being able to find molecular solutions. Forget about what you think is the problem. Often the real problem (and solution) will surface once you eliminate the perceived problem.
• Think opposites. The opposite of what you perceive to be the problem is really your solution. If your problem is saving money, the opposite is spending money. So instead of focusing on how you can save money, focus on your company’s spending. By focusing on the spending and altering spending habits, the saving money solution becomes evident.
• Look to technology. Today’s technology offers options for solving numerous problems. Can’t find a good typist for your company? Use dictation software. Need a way to get more ideas for products or services? Use the Internet to connect to customers via online surveys. Look at what you need done and find a technology solution to automate it for you.
• Peel the onion. To find the problem, think of it as an onion that you peel away by listing the components of the problem. You’ll find that the issue you’re focusing on isn’t the one that’s causing the most pain, but that a sub-issue is truly at the heart of your problem.
• Focus on one issue at a time. Sometimes a problem is complex and has many components, which seem to all work against you at once. You’ll be able to see the real problem that you should focus on when you separate the other problems.

Skip to the finish

Every problem has a solution—with some being better than others. The key is to realize that there are many paths to a destination. If you are able to skip the problem completely, you free your mind to see where the best solution lies.

Daniel Burrus is the founder and CEO of Burrus Research and author of six books, including the highly acclaimed “Technotrends.” Over the past two decades he has established a worldwide reputation for his exceptional record of accurately predicting the future of technological change and its direct impact on the business world. Burrus monitors global advancements in technology driven trends to help clients better understand how technological, social and business forces are converging to create enormous, untapped opportunities. For more information, visit www.burrus.com.

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