“If I had an hour to save the world, I'd spend 55 minutes thinking about the problem and five minutes thinking about solutions." ~Albert Einstein

Great innovators, salespeople and leaders don’t look at themselves only as solution providers. Instead, they understand their true talent lies in being able to uncover problems that average folks never discover. By uncovering hidden assumptions and looking beneath the obvious problem, top performers avoid developing multiple solutions hoping that one works.

So how can you become Einstein-like in your problem solving? First, when somebody comes to you with a problem … STOP. Then understand that the problem that was presented is NOT the real problem. If it were, they would have solved it on their own and wouldn’t need you. The biggest value you can provide is the ability to help them uncover what the REAL problem is. Which means you should not be developing or delivering solutions too early.

Let’s try an exercise to get your innovative brain cooking:

1. Write down one problem that an associate, customer or company leader has presented to you in the past two weeks. Now grab a pen, and write down what seemed like the obvious problem along with an obvious solution.

Obvious Problem

_______________________________________________________________________

Obvious Solution

________________________________________________________________________

2. Now take three to five minutes to think of the “problem behind the problem.” To uncover that problem, ask yourself “why” at least five times after answering each one. Write it down. Then think of a not-so-obvious solution.

Hidden Problem

________________________________________________________________________

Hidden Solution

_________________________________________________________________________

If you completed the exercise, you no doubt found that the simple exercise of asking deeper questions resulted in you discovering a deeper problem and, as a result, a different solution.

So this week, understand that most real problems aren’t obvious. But most business people spend all their time solving problems based on assumption. Stop assuming, and start ASKING. And fueled by a deeper curiosity to uncover, discover and learn more, you will spend less time solving the wrong problems and more time influencing everybody you touch.

This week, Brian Sullivan, CSP, interviewed Steve Shapiro, author of the book Best Practices are Stupid. In this interview, you will learn how to stir innovation to find your own solutions while learning to help others find theirs. Time to get smart! To learn more, go to www.preciseselling.com/on-radio