Bulletproof Problem Solving - The One Skill That Changes Everything

by Charles Conn, Robert McLean, Jonathan Cowley (narrator)

Complex problem solving is the core skill for twenty-first-century teams Complex problem solving is at the very top of the list of essential skills for career progression in the modern world. But how problem solving is taught in our schools, universities, businesses and organizations comes up short. In Bulletproof Problem Solving: The One Skill That Changes Everything you'll learn the seven-step systematic approach to creative problem solving developed in top consulting firms that will work in any field or industry, turning you into a highly sought-after bulletproof problem solver who can tackle challenges that others balk at. The problem-solving technique outlined in this book is based on a highly visual, logic-tree method that can be applied to everything from everyday decisions to strategic issues in business to global social challenges. The authors, with decades of experience at McKinsey and Company, provide thirty detailed, real-world examples, so you can see exactly how the technique works in action. With this bulletproof approach to defining, unpacking, understanding, and ultimately solving problems, you'll have a personal superpower for developing compelling solutions in your workplace.

Genres: Business, Nonfiction, Management, Self Help, Leadership, Productivity, Science

Audiobook

Published March 6, 2019

Reviews

[Minh Quyen Khuat · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book makes me strongly believe that "It's not what you know that matters. It's how you understand what you know".

7-step model is one of the all-time-classic frameworks, like SWOT, SMART, BCG Matrix,... We all knew. We're all taught. But do you clearly understand and how to deploy it? Not everyone.

The book aligns with 7-step model. Nonetheless, the most amazing about the book is not about frameworks. It's not so 'new' either 'disruptive'. The most precious thing is case studies for everything they mentioned. Sometimes I think the logic and examples do not totally support either strengthen the main point. But at least, the book enables the way we apply what we learn, what we listen every day on real problem-solving.

I think management-consultant-wanna-be will definitely love it. It shortens and smoothens your way to your dream management consulting firm.

[Quan Truong · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can't recommend this book enough. Alongside with Principles by Ray Dalio, 5 steps process, I'm sure knowledge from this book will be your unfair advantage in many years to come.

[I Read, Therefore I Blog · Rating 3 out of 5]

Charles Conn is a former partner of McKinsey & Company and former CEO of the Rhodes Trust. Rob McLean is Director Emeritus of McKinsey & Company and a former Dean of the Australian Graduate School of Management. This book aims to set out a 7-step programme for complex problem solving but while there’s some useful information here it presupposes a familiarity with some of the logic tree techniques, which makes it difficult to use for beginners.

[Chris Esposo · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good introduction and manual towards business problem-solving, from a consulting perspective. What does that mean? Consultants (mostly) assume all problems can be solved in a finite amount of time, and that they can actually be "solved" in some formal way. Often times if that is not the case, a savvy partner will find some way to quietly extricate his team out of the project. Not all business "problems" can be solved, and many never are, as like the proxy-wars great powers engage in with each other, many business problems in corporate America are often battles played by senior executives, vying for turf.

That being said, if one were to try to consult a company on a "challenging" problem, this is the closest thing I've read thus far, to a book on strategy-consulting, with a "quantitative" tint. Each of the major consulting companies often provide "the deck" to their new recruits, usually 100s of slides, that include principles and tutorials on how to engage in analysis of a client-problem. Though often times these decks just end up being plot/graph-fodder, recycled in any number of stylistic permutations for hastily produced client presentations. Although, each of these firms have their own "style", they often all share a "kernel" of notions that constitute the essence of the craft.
This book covers much of that essence, including the problem-definition cycle, which is to define, dis- aggregate, prioritize, analyze, synthesize, communicate, with the critical components (from an analytical standpoint) being dissaggregation, analysis, and synthesis. With respect to dissaggregation, any consultant worth their salt will have partitioned their problem-space into MECE or "Mutually Exclusive and Collectively Exhaustive". This notion was almost certainly "leveraged" (stolen) from mathematics, which knows it as set-partitions, an idea that comes in handy in probability, combinatorics, and topology to name a few of the sub-fields in the subject.
However, form a business standpoint, as the authors stresses, how one dissaggregates, or "cleave", a problem, could hold the entire key to proceeding forward to it's solution, and they give several good business case studies to accentuate that point, as well as conceptual principles to provide deeper understanding to allow the reader to "leverage" it for their own challenges. In aid of this endeavor, the authors also provide ample illustrations and explanation on several types of logic trees, including component-trees, inductive-trees, deductive-trees, hypothesis-tress, and decision-trees. Of these, inductive and deductive trees are given the most page-count in terms of coverage. Again, concepts are often followed or prefaced with business-case studies to help apply theory to practice.

Since this book is primarily aimed at business people, beside the analytic component of 'strategy", there's about 1/3 of the material dedicated to "team-stuff". Basically, how to rustle your team, and "leverage" the collective intelligence of your team to make decision and assign priority/weight to components of your "cleaved" problem to quickly, and practically, resolve it for your client (so you can get follow-on work).

Ironically, the least developed portion of the problem-solving cycle is probably the analysis portion, which is where the actual work would take place from the "problem solving" standpoint (e.g. statistics/machine learning/model/simulation etc.). A quick whirlwind tour is provided on the techniques and how they can be deployed based on what you know, what you don't know, what you know you don't know, and what you don't know that you know (to quote infamous former Secy. of Defense, and systems-analyst 'whiz-kid' Don Rumsfeld)

Overall, well-written, and concise, with sufficiently produced tables for efficient knowledge-transference. I'd recommend both the audiobook and the kindle for this one, like all consulting work, the plots are 4/5 the information. Recommended

[Micah Grant · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reads like someone created a travelog of their experiences at McKinsey and tried to create a company handbook/training manual from it. Very dry and somewhat overcomplicated for everyday problems. Works well for larger problems that may require a team to solve.

[Markus Hachenberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ein altes Buch von meinem Papa. Eigentlich ein sehr gutes Buch glaube ich. Ich konnte mit vielen der Beispiele nichts anfangen, weil ich mich nicht so gut in die Berater-Branche eindenken kann. Ansonsten ist es glaube ich ein sehr gutes System. Ich freue mich, das in Zukunft mal auszuprobieren. Für die Informationen, die ich aus dem Buch gezogen habe, hätte aber auch ein 20-30 seitiger Artikel gereicht.

[TwanAckermans · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although this book has taught me some very valuable lessons, I wouldn't recommend reading it in its entirety. The main value of this book is that it shifts how you see problem-solving. The book demystifies it - good problem-solving is not magic, but a repeatable and iterative process. The book revolves around the 7-step process that is explained in the first chapter. Although the 7 steps are rather self-explanatory, the chapters that follow go into great detail on each of the steps. A lot of case studies are presented, but most of them are not very memorable and they don't necessarily offer any added insights.

I do like the 'boxes' in which the authors present problem-solving tools. In fact, I see myself going back to this book frequently, using it as a comprehensive problem-solving playbook. However, 80% of the pages are just fluff. This book could have been a long blog post or an infographic and be just as valuable. In fact, some areas really feel like they were added just to increase the page count. There's a section on how to manage a problem-solving team, but the authors don't spend enough time diving deep enough into team dynamics and management to be of any real value.

All in all, this book does what it sets out to do. It's a solid resource - a quick read that definitely has some sustainable value, but it's not exceptional or truly innovative in any way.

[Dung (Mit) Tran · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some examples are a bit lengthy, but it is generally a practical and useful book.

[Santosh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really good book.
It outlines the process of problem solving as followed by consultant.
Interesting and useful - if you are MBA student, doing internship, or trying to resolve the problem.

However, I feel to really get the grasp on contents, a good case studies should be added. (Book does have lot of examples). But comprehensive case-study - showing how it works in practice, will add value.

Additionally, if there is a course or workbook helping one to go through steps, will help immensely. I would love to take up the course.

[Mindaugas Mozūras · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great problem solvers are well-read, open to new ideas, reflective, self‐critical, persistent … and use teamwork wherever they can.

Bulletproof Problem Solving outlines a seven-step approach to solving any type of problem, from personal investment decisions to the obesity crisis. The steps themselves—define, disaggregate, prioritize, work plan, analyze, synthesize, communicate—didn't offer me much new insight. The insights came mostly from how those steps are done and some more specific tools used. Though, even there, some of those tools (e.g., the pyramid communication pattern) were not new to me.

It's also worth noting, that this is the second McKinsey'ish book I've read in the last six months (the other one being Technology Strategy Patterns). I found some similarities in the advice offered in both books. Thus, while I enjoyed Bulletproof Problem Solving, and while some parts were especially interesting, others felt familiar to a book I consumed not that long ago.

Overall, I liked the book. I can imagine that I would appreciated reading this kind of book early in my career. If you haven't been exposed to how McKinsey consultants solve problems, it's worth reading.

[Zhivko Kabaivanov · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bulletproof Problem Solving (2019) delves into one of the most important yet consistently neglected skills in the modern workplace: problem-solving.

With routine jobs declining around the world, more and more employees are being tasked with tackling open-ended challenges.

As we’ll see in these blinks, you don’t need an advanced degree in statistical analysis to be a great problem solver – you just need a dash of creativity and the right strategies.

[Nalusha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book. It was easy to follow, and all the concepts have been explained using well-done graphics, making them easier to grasp. Would definitely recommend to people involved in decision-making processes.
The case stories are elaborate and practical.

[Amaia · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5⭐️
Da buenas ideas, pero nada que explote la cabeza
A ratos un poco textbook

[Holstein · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very useful frameworks for solving work problems and wicked problems of the world. I'll be using these next time I need to frame a solution for a project at work, or feel overwhelmed by societal problems.

[Lloyd Downey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was introduced to this book by my daughter who had worked at McKinsey's with Rob McLean....one of the authors. I must admit to some scepticism about one sort of methodology that supposedly fits all problems ..yet this was what was being offered. I have come away from the book profoundly impressed. It's logical, systematic and clear. The book is well written and edited and the diagrams illuminate it really well. They start off with some rather homely examples of using their methodology to problem solve ....and yes: it seems to work. In fact, I'd already used a variant on their methodology for finding a place to live. And, to their credit they do point out some of the flaws in this methodology......you might have got the weighting factors wrong ...but you can change them. You might have missed something important....well you can go back and include it. etc.
They define seven steps in their method:
1. Define the problem
2. Disaggregate the issues
3. Prioritise the issues: prune the tree
4. Build a workplan and timetable
5. Conduct critical analyses ...start with rules of thumb
6. Synthesize findings from the analysis
7. Prepare a powerful communication.
Actually, this is a classic consultant's approach....where it finishes with the communication. I actually lived through a Mckinsey review and reorganisation of my organisation and the real work and pain came well after the "powerful communication" was delivered. There probably need to be a number of steps after the powerful communication like: getting the stakeholders committed, being prepared to modify the plan in the light of practical issues about implementation. Ours was a government organisation but it practically ground to a halt during the re-organisation and would have gone broke had it been a private company. And some of the recommendations ....though they made sense politically were really destructive in reality. Most of the major recommendations from the powerful communication were implemented in the short term and unwound over the longer term.
So their methodology is fine in terms of coming to an intellectual decision about how to proceed. But the devil is in the actual implementation and it seems to me that this is not necessarily covered in the 7 steps. (Some of it is...eg with the work on building salmon stocks they do consider some of the difficulties of implementation. But that's not necessarily part of their 7 steps). However, I quibble. Overall it's a great book and I will be coming back and referring to it and recommending it to others.
Clearly the authors have an absolute wealth of experience as consultants in applying this methodology and clearly it works.....well in most cases. (I admit to being fascinated by their "wicked" problems at the end. And to being impressed by their example. I've recently been looking at innovative measures in exporting which involve export clusters...something like cooperatives. And, as one of the participants noted...it comes down to trust. All works well as long as every body does their bit and trust is justified. But when somebody takes a short cut and trust is abused the whole pyramid can come crashing down unless there is considerable resilience and redundancy built in).
I especially liked their 10 points at the end: words of encouragement:
1. Take the time up front to really understand your problem
2. Get started with nothing more than a problem statement
3. Try several cuts at the tree
4. Use a team whenever you can
5. Make the right investment in a good workplan
6. Start your analysis with summary statistics, heuristics, and rules of thumb to get a feel for the data and the solution space.
7 Don't be afraid to employ big analytic guns when required
8. Put as much effort into synthesis and telling the story as doing the analysis
9. Treat the 7 steps process like an accordion ....compressing or expanding steps
10 Don't be intimidated by any problem you face.
I also liked the set of the top skills needed in 2020: complex problem solving, Critical thinking, Creativity, People management, Coordinating with others etc.
All in all...a great book and surprisingly easy to read. I give it 5 stars.

[Muhammad Farhan Abdillah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book teaches us about how to solve problem with structure, namely Bulletproof Problem Solving. The Bulletproof Problem Solving have 7 step in solving the problem:
1. Define the problem
2. Disaggregate the issues
3. Priorities the issues
4. Build the workplan
5. Conduct the critical analyses
6. Synthesis the finding
7. Prepare the powerful communication

This method will help you to overcome complex problem in live, and communicate it better to colleague.

[Van-Anh Nguyen · Rating 4 out of 5]

1) To find useful solutions, you first have to define the problems correctly.
2) Breaking problems down into smaller parts makes them easier to solve.
3) Prioritization is all about assessing your influence and the potential impact of solutions.
4) Egalitarian work processes can help your team beat individual biases.
5) Treat the data well, and it'll reward you with useful insights.
6) You can find lots of useful data in the real world if you take the time to look.

[Chardo · Rating 2 out of 5]

IMPORTANT: I did not finish the book (1/2). May be a good read for someone, but not for me. I wasn’t impressed. The method described in the first part of the book seems valuable but quickly became repetitive and boring.

[Fernando García Nó · Rating 4 out of 5]

El libro de Conn y Mclean desarrolla el método básico de resolución de problemas utilizado en consultoría estratégica, explicando el proceso a nivel general y entrando en detalle en cada una de sus fases.

Aparte de la explicación de este proceso, el libro contiene una serie de ideas clave para resolver de modo solvente distintas partes del proceso. Con respecto a la definición del problema, es necesario acotar y entender no solo el problema en si, sino también las restricciones establecidas por los distintos agentes involucrados. Para la desagregación del problema es útil emplear distintas estructuras de base para estudiar el problema desde distintos ángulos y crear una estructura a medida que se ajuste de modo óptimo, sea completa y refleje bien las partes más importantes, y si es un problema cuantitativo que se articule como una ecuación matemática. Por otra parte, es fundamental la priorización para la resolución sistemática de problemas, a fin de evitar las partes del problema con menor capacidad para generar influencia significativa en el objetivo general, y para enfocarse primero en aquellas que requieren el menor esfuerzo para los impactos que ofrecen. Una vez que el problema está definido, estructurado y hay prioridades claras, es conveniente que el plan de trabajo sea ágil e iterativo, trazando con más detalle la planificación de las dos semanas siguientes y en líneas generales la planificación de más largo plazo del proyecto, puesto que el plan detallado habrá de ser cambiado a medida que progrese el análisis. A lo largo de todo el proceso, es clave el uso de "one-day answers", el resumen de aquello que se sabe hasta la fecha y las recomendaciones que se harían en ese punto, a fin de mantener las prioridades claras y para tener un hombre de paja para hacer tests de estrés a los resultados hasta ese punto. Cuando se llega al punto analítico hay que utilizar atajos, estimaciones, heurísticos y reglas de oro previo al empleo de herramientas analíticas más avanzadas, complejas, y laboriosas, para entender en primer lugar la escala de cada problema y su potencial de contribución al conjunto, y para evitar pérdidas de tiempo valioso usando técnicas más complejas de lo que es preciso. Por último, la resolución de problemas es inútil sin una comunicación sólida, lo que requiere una síntesis efectiva de las recomendaciones y los resultados en los que estás se basan, estructurada a modo de historia convincente, utilizando el principio de la pirámide para explicar la recomendación global con base en subrecomendaciones y evidencia sólida, de un modo convincente que anime a la acción.

[Angela Lam · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is probably the most comprehensive book on problem solving I've ever read. And that's both the biggest pro and con of this book.

Yeah, the book is so detailed that it borders on being confusing.

The authors dive into such detailed examples that you can’t grasp the ideas unless you really digest all the facts/numbers and think really hard about the scenarios.
What’s worse, they jump from point to point in the book, e.g. they’ll touch on something (like design thinking) then share just a teeny bit about it (not enough for you to really grasp what the whole point is or what to do about it), then move on to something else....so you end up wondering…. eh so what exact do I do with that piece of information? They’ll state something very smart and technical-sounding, then disappear into another point and suddenly resurface again with the original point.

Although there are supposed to be 7 steps, the steps aren’t always that clear, and you often find the real “meat” for a step in another section of another chapter. To top it off, different case studies illustrate different scenarios, parts of the problem solving approach, or even analytical framework. So it's really really hard to get your head around all the details. I read the book 3x (?) and still don't fully get what they're trying to say in many places.

Probably a classic case of the authors trying to cram too much into 1 book, instead of distilling it down into what's truly essential (which is an irony given the topic and some of the Bulletproof Problem Solving steps recommended by the authors).

Still, if you want a sophisticated framework for problem solving, with detailed logic trees, consultancy-worthy analyses and all, this is the book for you.

BTW, the 7 steps are (paraphrased slightly):
1. define the problem clearly
2. disaggregate the problem into its component parts
3. prioritize the crucial elements and prune away the rest
4. develop a workplan
5. analyze the problem objectively
6. synthesize your findings
7. communicate the findings

Book summary at: https://readingraphics.com/book-summa...

[Viktor Nilsson · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you're aiming to become a management consultant, this book is probably close to 5 stars. It is a very structured walk-through of the seven step process for solving problems. It will help setting you up to have a good framework to tackle large complex problems, one after another, in a team environment.

However, if you're aiming to become a better "problem solver" in general, this is just too much. I find the process too heavy, meaning that applying it will take so much time and energy that you won't have the time to develop your domain expertise and execute. I mean for the everyday problems faced by us in our roles as small business owners, parents, drivers, hobby athletes, travelers, etc.

I fall into that later category, looking to hone my skills in the more everyday stuff, so I think this was not quite the book I should have aimed for. The framework makes perfect sense to me, although I can't say I actually remember the steps. The more general advice given here and there was very useful however. The importance of defining what the problem actually is, is often overlooked, but the authors do a great job of stressing this point. How biases and team dynamics play a role in hypothesizing solutions is another very interesting subject.

But most of all, I finally realize why management consultants work so hard (and are handsomely compensated) - this is heavy stuff. Solving hundreds of tiny problems every day, as we all do, makes us forget how complex real problem-solving (without any shortcuts!) actually is. Who knows, maybe one day I'll come around to digging deeper into this, but for now I will look for a slightly lighter introduction on the subject of problem-solving.

[Viljar Kähari · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Bulletproof Problem Solving: The One Skill That Changes Everything" by Charles Conn and Robert McLean is an insightful book that offers a structured approach to complex problem-solving. The authors, with their consultancy backgrounds, introduce a seven-step framework designed to guide readers through the intricacies of tackling challenging issues. This methodical approach is one of the book's strengths, providing a clear path from problem identification to solution.

However, while the book excels in its systematic presentation, it sometimes falls short in terms of practical applicability. The case studies, although interesting, often feel too idealistic and disconnected from everyday problem-solving scenarios that professionals might encounter. This gap between theory and practice can leave readers seeking more relatable and diverse examples.

Additionally, the book's pacing and depth of content might not cater to all readers. Some may find the explanations too detailed and technical, while others might seek more in-depth exploration of certain concepts. This uneven balance can affect the overall engagement with the material.

In summary, "Bulletproof Problem Solving" is a commendable effort in demystifying complex problem-solving and offers valuable insights. However, its application in real-world scenarios and reader engagement could be improved. It's a solid read for those interested in a theoretical approach but might not fully satisfy those looking for hands-on, diverse problem-solving experiences.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was not a good management consultant. I was much more interested in data analysis than end to end problem-solving. The insights were more interesting to me than the problem. Funny that post management consulting now my job almost completely skips data analysis and I spend most of my time defining problem, structuring it, work-planning and story-telling. Defining and structuring problem are much more fun, as long as the problem is new.

It's hard to write a 5-star book on a methodology, this book almost nailed the right amount of theory vs. examples, except for frivolous foray into machine learning, joint probability, and retirement savings decisions (and even a brief mention of Black-Scholes). Management consultants are anything but specialists. Pretending that this first principle approach can empower anyone to deploy highly complicated tools is biting off more than one can chew. In fact, my previous firm developed a marketing model based on first principle; it sounded totally reasonable to layman but omg was it wrong. I can't believe they still market the model on their website when it's mathematically wrong. First principle helps to solve certain types of problems or phases of a problem; but pretending that it's panacea causes more damage than good.

[Heidi Nguyen · Rating 5 out of 5]

𝗕𝘂𝗹𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗳 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺 𝗦𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴, cuốn sách đáng giá từng hào một bỏ ra (công nhận sách của Wiley luôn đắt nhưng xắt ra miếng luôn!)
Cùng với nhịp sóng thay đổi của thời đại, mỗi thập kỉ sẽ luôn có những kĩ năng cần thiết mà muốn thành công/giàu có thì người lao động phải đạt đến trạng thái thành thạo hoặc master. Nếu ở những năm 2010s là kĩ năng 'get things done' thì ở những năm 2020s, 'complex problem solving' là kĩ năng quan trọng nhất mà mọi ngành nghề, lĩnh vực, vị trí đều cần. Và vì đó là một kĩ năng "cao cấp", lực lượng workforce chưa được đào tạo một cách bài bản & đó là lí do cuốn sách này ra đời. Sách được viết bởi ex-McKinsey and Company hướng dẫn time-tested 7-step technique to problem solving mà các chuyên gia tư vấn cấp cao sử dụng & có thể áp dụng cho mọi lĩnh vực/nghề nghiệp.

Nếu bạn ở Việt Nam, bạn có thể dễ dàng mua cuốn sách này tại đây: https://bookee.store/bulletproof-prob...

[Mohamed · Rating 4 out of 5]

very nice book focused on an essential skill for any leader or for anyone would like to be a leader.

The authors share the seven-step problem-solving approach they developed at McKinsey & Company that can help you transform your life, your organization, and the world around you:
- Step 1: “Define the problem” – **Create a strong problem statement**.
- Step 2: Disaggregate – Reduce your problem to its smallest possible components.
- Step 3: Prioritize – Decide which parts of the problem should be your main focus.
- Step 4: Create a work plan – Assign tasks and clarify outputs and deadlines.
- Step 5: Analyze – Gather data and critically assess the situation.
- Step 6: Synthesize – Organize your findings into a logical argument.
- Step 7: Communicate – Develop a powerful narrative to share your conclusions.

[Vito Hamza · Rating 4 out of 5]

An insightful read. This book introduces 7 Steps and gives enough templates and case studies for each step. It is heavier than the previous book I read (Ken Watanabe's Problem Solving 101). Thankfully, the author gives key takeaways in each chapter. Although I don't think reading those takeaways is enough.

My day one hypothesis implies the 7 Steps method is much harder to implement alone than Ken's 4 steps. Given that one of the steps is dedicated to building the actual problem-solving work plan and timetable. Also a big emphasis on disaggregation and prioritization of issues which need a lot of brainpower in order to correctly deduce the right issue to solve.

Won't recommend this method for choosing your shampoo or daily food orders. Save this one for a real deal.

[Sarah Miles · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read for the FWPMI Book Club August 2021. The seven-step method detailed by the authors is an interesting process for problem solving, and I definitely saw similarities to the project management life cycle. I enjoyed some of the case studies that were included to illustrate the steps in the process, especially the ones that were personally relatable. But overall I found the method to be overly analytical and a little too couched in business and consulting practices to be easily applicable to my everyday challenges. Also, I'm not sure if this was an Australian language thing, but if the authors used "porpoise" as a verb one more time...

[Pedro Trigo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Complex problem solving is for sure THE skill of the future. This books provides a well structured seven steps approach that can help you find a solution for different kinds of problems.

Providing exautive methodocial on an easy to understand way is not easy. However the authors mastered that challenge.

The use of powerful and real examples sprinkle all the positive characteristics above stated. For sure a must for consultancy fans and passionate problem solvers alike.

[Jung]

Problem-solving is one of the most important skills in the modern workplace. So how do you go about it? The most important part of the process is getting your definition of the problem right. Once you’ve done that, you can start breaking it down into smaller parts and prioritizing solutions. Here, you’ll want to look for high-impact, high-influence outcomes. Creating egalitarian work processes will make problem-solving even more effective as it’ll help you avoid biases. 

[Carlee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listened to the audiobook version - I liked hearing examples and cases where this 7-step problem solving sequence was used, but I think reading the book or having the diagrams to view while listening to the audiobook would have been more beneficial. This was almost like listening to a textbook with images and figures and not being able to see the images/figures.

I'm not sure I really understand how I would use these steps to tackle a problem, but this was a good intro.