As consultants, business leaders, and problem-solvers, we often jump straight to solutions—it's in our nature. When faced with inefficiencies, declining performance, or operational roadblocks, our first instinct is to fix something. But what if the real problem isn’t what we think it is?
Harris Sockel’s article, Solve the Right Problems by Questioning Your Assumptions, highlights a common pitfall: we rush into solving what’s visible, rather than taking the time to understand the deeper issue. Take the case of Juicero, a $700 Wi-Fi-connected juice press that promised to revolutionize how people drink smoothies. The problem? No one needed it. Or Blackberry, which doubled down on improving its physical keyboard, failing to recognize that customers were moving towards touchscreen devices.
The Assumption Trap
In our work, we often see teams struggling with issues that seem obvious on the surface:
“Our project timelines are always slipping.” → Is the problem a lack of discipline, or is there unclear prioritization?
“Our teams aren’t collaborating effectively.” → Is this a communication issue, or do they lack a shared understanding of their goals?
“Customers keep asking for new features.” → Do they actually need more features, or are they struggling to use what’s already available?
Just like Disney realized that long wait times weren’t the real problem—unpleasant waits were—we need to dig deeper. A simple shift in perspective, like adding engaging content to waiting areas, turned the Disney guest experience from frustration to entertainment.
How to Start Solving the Right Problems
When working with organizations, we’ve found that the key to solving the right problems is to:
Identify and challenge assumptions. What are we taking as fact that might not be true?
Listen beyond what’s being said. Customers and teams will describe symptoms, not root causes.
Test different perspectives. Approach the problem from multiple angles before committing to a solution.
Define success clearly. What will better actually look like? If we don’t define it, we may solve the wrong thing.
From Quick Fixes to Meaningful Change
No one wants to waste time on solutions that don’t move the needle. The organizations that succeed are those that take the time to diagnose the real problem before investing in a fix.
So before you start optimizing, streamlining, or restructuring, ask yourself: Am I solving the right problem? Because the hardest problems are usually just one or two unquestioned assumptions away from being solved.
What assumptions are you questioning in your work this week?