It’s tempting when you encounter

challenges to want to get straight into

solution mode right away. This is a mistake

because in order to effectively solve your

issue you need to take the time to define

the problem clearly. Iteratively question the cause of the problem. This is all about

finding the root cause, rather than treating a symptom. If you don’t get to the root,

the problem will likely recur, perhaps with

different symptoms. Don’t waste time re-

solving the same problem. Often, what

appears to be a problem is actually an

opportunity in disguise.

Creative Problem Solving - The XO Way

Challenge the definition from all angles.

The more ways you can define a

problem, the more likely it is that you will

find the best solution. For example, “Sales

are too low” could mean you have strong

competitors, your marketing isn’t effective,

or you have a faulty sales process. You

can further clarify your problem by asking

questions like: “What do I really wish to

accomplish?”, “What is preventing me from

solving this problem/achieving the goal?”

and “Are my peers dealing with similar

problems? If so, how are they coping?”

By the time you have answered all these

questions, you should have a very clear idea

of what your problem or real goal is.

1.0 - CLARIFY AND IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM

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“You weren’t rejected, you were redirected.” How many times as business owners do we come across a problem, obstacle, struggle, challenge? Often it’s multiple times a day - but we need to make sure we’re spending our valuable time and energy on the issues that are actually worth fixing. After running 6 ventures between the two of us, we’ve come across our fair share of problems and we’ve developed our own spin on the Creative Problem Solving framework that we want to share with you. We love the above quote because with every obstacle we face, we’re given the opportunity to change our perspective or challenge our viewpoints. Keepin’ it positive, guys!

2.0 - RESEARCH THE PROBLEM

A creative challenge is basically a

simple question framed to encourage

suggestions or ideas. Creative challenges

shouldn’t include evaluation criteria.

For example: “How might I find a more

challenging job that is better paying and

situated close to my home?” If you put

criteria in the challenge, you will limit your

creative thinking. So simply ask: “How might

I find a more challenging job?” and after

generating ideas, you can use the criteria to

identify the ideas with the greatest potential.

3.0 - COME UP WITH CREATIVE CHALLENGES

The part many of us enjoy the most!

Brainstorm multiple possible solutions.

The more possible solutions you develop, the more likely you will come up with the right one. Write down every idea that comes

to mind. Even if the idea seems ludicrous,

stupid or isn’t really related to the challenge,

write it down. Most people are their own

worst critics and by ruling out your own

ideas, you’re limiting your creativity. So write

everything down. NO EXCEPTIONS!

When you’re feeling like you’re in a rut in

terms of idea generation, you basically have

to break your cycle of thinking to open

yourself up. You can do this by changing

your environment - go for a walk, listen

to music or a podcast, crowdsource ideas

online by reaching out to your network.

Whatever it takes, and just remember to

write it all down.

4.0 - GENERATE IDEAS

An acceptable solution, doable now, is

usually better than an excellent solution

with higher complexity, longer timeframe,

and higher cost. They say (whoever ‘they’

are) that every large problem was once a

small problem that could have been solved

easily at that time. USUALLY. It depends on

what your specific issue is, though, so be

sure to use your own criteria for judging

potential solutions. Are there budget limitations, timeframe or other restrictions that will affect whether or not you can go ahead with an idea? What will you want to have accomplished with the ideas? What do you wish to avoid when you implement these ideas? Think about it and make a list of three to five evaluation criteria.

5.0 - COMBINE, EVALUATE + PRIORITIZE POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS

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Make a decision. Select your solution based

on your criteria. At the very least, set a

specific deadline for making a decision

and stick to it. Then once you’ve decided

on which route to go - make a plan! Assign

responsibilities (unless you’re riding solo, well

then, it’s all on you!) and put a timeframe

around your action items.

6.0 - MAKE YOUR ACTION PLAN

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Breaking implementation down into a series

of readily accomplished tasks makes these

ideas easier to digest and implement. So get

going and SOLVE that problem.

7.0 - JUST DO IT! AKA IMPLEMENTATION TIME

Most people think that the solution ends

with Step 7 - and in many cases that’s totally

fine. But if you’re dealing with a larger issue

you want to make sure you have measurable

outcomes and record them. Otherwise you

will have no way of knowing when and

whether the problem was solved. This way,

you’re well prepared if you face a similar

issue again in the future.

8.0 - SET MEASURABLE OUTCOMES

We hope this tool has been valuable for you! If you’re interested in learning more about how we can help your business grow, check out our services over here and here. And don’t forget to read up about some inspiring and amazing entrepreneurs over here! Oh and of course, sign up to our newsletter here to make sure you get the straight goods on new content like this as soon as it hits our site.