The first steps to problem-solving

Photo: K Murali Kumar

LOOKING AHEAD: More than wasting time in thinking about the reasons and people responsible for the problems, it is important to search for solutions to overcome them.

What is a problem?

Problem means slipping into an uncomfortable position, level of severity of pain being different.

The intensity of a crisis depends on how you take it, rather than how severe the problem is. Injury being the same, a wound at the finger-nail is more painful than at the palm.

When a problem engulfs us, our first reaction is “Why me.” It is brooding over the matter rather than searching for the way out.

To solve a problem, analyse the following five aspects:

1. What I am going to lose by this?

2. How can I recover it back?

3.What should I do to return to my normal position?

4. How much time it would take for salvage (of money/ prestige/ relationship/ freedom etc)?

5. How can I minimise the time or the loss, to overcome the catastrophe?

We waste more time thinking about the reason and people responsible for it, rather than searching for the solution.

When you get lesser marks in a subject, or suddenly your rankings come down, analyse the same above points:

What to do to minimise the loss, how to do it fast to recover to the original position.

It is not because problems are difficult that we do not dare to solve them, but because we do not dare, the problems get complicated.

When you are agonised, go to more agonised people.

Visit a cancer hospital or an old-age home, offer fruits and gifts, talk to them and that makes you comfortable as you realise that your problem is less severe.

When you are confronted with a problem, write it down, glare at it continuously and you will suddenly find a new dimension to solve it.

When ‘lift’ was invented,

people were comfortable but irritated with its slow pace. Though much faster lifts were discovered later, their impatience continued.

Nobody could analyse the reason. One engineer discovered that it is not the slowness, but the veiled insecurity (while the lift is running up or downwards) is hurrying them to come out of it.

And more importantly, the exasperation of standing close to each other, the odour, immobility, quietness and the congestion is making them irritated.

He suggested fixing of mirrors on four sides to look at and a music system, to keep people engaged. And that solved the problem.

YANDAMOORI VEERENDRANATH

yandamoori@hotmail.com
(The Hindu, Education Plus Chennai, 03:09:2007)
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