You’re 45 minutes into a Teams Meeting discussing a challenging issue. It’s the third call of its kind. There is no solution in sight. Frustration is mounting on all sides. Disagreement is rampant. Everyone believes that their solution is right and they raise their defenses, prepped to battle it out until everyone else agrees.
With emotions running high, no one is even seeing the problem anymore. In fact, it is likely that everyone has lost sight of the actual problem as they’ve torn down the problem solving path.
Our human tendency is to jump right into problem solving. This tendency means we don’t take time to understand what the actual problem is. As a result, we spend countless hours discussing solutions. We argue over solutions. Ultimately, we never truly solve the actual problem.
How do we break this cycle then and get to a solution that will work?
Follow These 5 Steps:
- Breathe: When you recognize that you’re in a solution seeking spiral, pause and take five deep breaths. Inhale through the nose for four counts, allow the belly to expand and fill, then exhale through the nose for four counts. This pattern of breathing brings peace to the whole body and switches the brain into a calm state of mind, helping you think more clearly.
- Ask for Time to Regroup: Once you’ve calmed yourself down, assess if you need time and space to think and process the situation. If everyone else is in a high emotional state, this can also force them to calm down too. Ask the other person (s) for a few minutes to regroup when you’re able to think more clearly. Everyone will be grateful for a chance to get their emotions under control.
- Describe the Outcome: Take time to define the outcome you’d like to achieve. If you don’t know where you are going, the solutions are unlikely to get you there ever.
- Define the Problem: Now that you know where you want to head, define the problem of what’s stopping you from getting there. Dig deep to get at the very roots. A clear understanding of the problem ensures the solutions will work.
- Seek Solutions: You know where to go and where you’re starting. From this point, you can create lasting solutions.
By following these 5 steps, you can interrupt the solution finding pattern that has you stuck. Breathing, giving yourself the time and space to regroup, knowing where you want to go, and defining the problem will lead to solutions that work.
