Consultation, Observation and Reflection (3): Problem-solving Requires "Queuing Up"
In our daily life and work, the way we think about problems profoundly affects the efficiency and quality of problem - solving. Just as orderly queuing can avoid chaos, thinking about problems also requires "queuing up". Now, let's delve deeper into this view through common phenomena in life.
After the Spring Festival, on the nights from February 18th to 19th, a heavy snowfall came, making many places look as if they were covered in a layer of silver, presenting a picturesque view. However, under this beautiful snowscape, if we observe carefully, we will find that there are quite a few branches by the roadside broken by the snow, varying in size. Even now, this scene can still be clearly seen in many places. At this time, let's make a comparison. What is the usual situation of the branches after a summer rainstorm (excluding the situation of hail)? Except for a few cases where they are broken by strong winds, most of the branches remain intact.
In essence, snow and water are different forms of the same substance, and snow will eventually fall or melt into rain and fall. The branches break because they block the process of snow falling. As the snow accumulates continuously, the weight borne by the branches becomes greater and greater. When it reaches the limit that the branches can't bear, breaking off becomes an inevitable result. This is just like when the water flow encounters resistance, it may form a barrier lake. Once the water level is too high, there will be a danger of the dam being washed away.
Analogize this natural phenomenon to the process of our thinking. When we think about problems, what will happen if we think about too many problems at once or think about multiple aspects of a single problem simultaneously? This is very likely to create a phenomenon similar to a "barrier lake." The brain is like a container. When it bears too much information and thoughts, it is prone to getting into a muddle, which prevents us from clearly analyzing and solving problems.
On the contrary, what would be the result if we "queue up" the problems and think about them one by one? In the actual operation of consulting projects, such situations often occur. During the planning or preparation stage of a project, we always advise clients not to be over-anxious for quick results and blindly rush into large-scale and hasty actions. At the same time, we also remind the members of the client team to think and analyze problems one by one and focus on only one point each time.
However, members of the client team are often full of doubts about this at the beginning. They think that by thinking about multiple problems at once, can't they solve more problems more quickly? But the actual situation is exactly the opposite. Due to thinking about too many problems at once or considering too many aspects of a single problem, it is very easy to lead to omissions. Moreover, from an objective perspective, the difficulty of doing things will also increase accordingly. Although in the initial stage, more capable people can be recruited to handle the situation, when the enterprise develops to a certain scale and the complexity of problems reaches a certain level, even the most capable people will not be able to effectively solve problems if they still adopt such a chaotic way of thinking.
Some people may also have doubts. Will it be very slow to think about only one question at a time? However, the actual performance is not the case. By thinking in a "queuing" manner, our thinking will be clearer, and we can analyze problems more deeply, making it easier to reach conclusions. In fact, the efficiency is higher. I myself once used a seemingly clumsy method and achieved high efficiency. I will introduce the specific method in detail in another chapter.
When thinking about problems, have you queued up your thoughts? This seemingly simple approach actually contains the secret to improving thinking efficiency and problem-solving ability. I hope everyone can attach importance to it and apply this scientific way of thinking to better handle various problems in life and work.