Re-framing

Published on
January 31, 2012
Author
Chris Taylor
"Ideas are only valuable when applied."
Subscribe to digest
Read about our privacy policy.
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

In this week’s newsletter we explored Gamestorming and No Problem; two books designed explicitly to help you navigate the murky waters of complex business challenges.

In reviewing the two books, I started thinking about the power of re-framing; that is, looking through existing problems in a new light.

If you’ve ever played the game Boggle, you know that one of the easiest ways to find new words on the board is to turn the board; to look at it from a new angle. What’s true in game is often true in life.

If you have a nagging problem that’s been hanging around for a while, perhaps it’s time to turn the board. Think through questions like,

– Where’d the problem come from?
– What’s it actually holding us back from? Is there another way to accomplish the same objective?
– If the problem was permanent (as in, here for good), what would we do instead?
– How would I handle the problem if I was Donald Trump? Mother Teresa? Kanye West?
– Problems often exist because of a lack (or a perceived lack). Does this problem exist because of lack of money? time? knowledge? What’s another way I could overcome the lack?

Share the problem with a friend. Share the problem with a stranger. Look for new takes on it.

Bottom line – stay curious. Look with fresh eyes, and think of the problem as something interesting, rather than something nagging. Have fun!