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The Conundrum Strategy -
Finding The Simple and Elegant Solution
One of my favorite inventions is from the airline pilot who came up with the idea of putting wheels on luggage. Brilliant. Simple and elegant. The story is that he was tired of carrying luggage. So, he went into his garage, took an old piece of luggage, cut out the corners, connected wheels and voila! He built a business around a very simple and elegant solution to a problem that had plagued travelers for decades.
A coaching client wanted to get promoted but could not get anyone's attention. She was in the throes of living the "myth of good work." The myth is a carry-over from being a student, where if you work hard, you will get a good grade and be "promoted" to the next grade. In business, hard work alone does not get you promoted.
This is what I call the Conundrum Strategy. The principle is to identify a conundrum, (defined as a seemingly unsolvable problem) and find a simple and elegant solution. Finding a solution to a complex problem is an excellent way to get attention in any organization.
After discussing this strategy, my client solved the conundrum of a significant time delay in the distribution of a complex product. Her simple and elegant solution was discovering software that was not previously thought to address this problem. She found that the software did in fact expedite the distribution process. As a result, my client is the number one candidate to replace her boss.
Here are suggestions to employing the conundrum strategy to getting promoted:
Step 1 - Use "pain" as an identifier. There is always some pain associated with an unsolved problem. In business, that pain could be a monetary cost. Think about what causes pain in your daily work life.
Step 2 - Be a greedy observer. Collect information everywhere. Observe what is causing other's pain. What problems are always being discussed but never solved.
Step 3 - Take notes. Keep your observations, ruminations, ideas, nighttime dreams in a notebook. The most effective tool for any inventor is the notebook.
Step 4 - Select a conundrum that energizes you. You need to find a passion for solving the problem. Without the passion, you won't be able to persist through the trial-and-errors.
Step 5 - Become a scientist. Experiment with different solutions until you find the one that solves the seemingly unsolvable problem and is both simple and elegant.
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"
Mastery"
by Robert Greene
Like fine wine, this is one of those books that you need to absorb slowly. Each sentence seems to overflow with provocative wisdom.
The book is a compendium of very accomplished inventors, thinkers, business titans, and even the most famous boxing trainer.
The author describes in great detail the steps that accomplished individuals used to achieve mastery of their craft, business, or mission in life.
According to the author, the main thrust for any vocational mastery is to engage in the process of realizing your "Life Task." To uncover, explore, and achieve mastery, it is imperative to successfully journey through three stages.
The first stage requires you connect or reconnect with that "sense of uniqueness." This requires an inner exploration to find the inner voice or force. You find your own unique voice and filter out the voices of parents, peers, and teachers.
The second stage occurs after you made the connection to your "sense of uniqueness." Now you must look at the career path you are on or in some cases are about to begin. In this stage, the task is to enlarge your vision of work. It is a depressing reality that many people separate their lives into work, and life away from work. Instead of experiencing work as fulfilling our uniqueness, we engage in daily drudgery. Most people spend a substantial part of their waking life at work. The goal is to begin to experience work as something inspiring. You begin listening to that deeper voice that uncovers your unique vocation.
The final stage requires seeing your career or vocational path as a journey with ups and downs. You begin by choosing a career or path that are in line with your unique inclinations. You may discover other paths in a related field or an adjunct set of activities that ignite a sense of wonder, excitement, and the fulfillment of living your true unique inclination.
According to the author the most well-known geniuses needed to go through the three stages to connect with their unique inclination. Leonardo di Vinci did and that led to the mastery of art and science. In the case of Darwin, he had to fight the inner voices of his father to be a physician, when his unique inclination was to understand the patterns of things he collected.
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An experiment of entry level manager at AT&T from 1956-1960 studied the level of achievement attained during a period of 8-16 years, showing that high "Need for Achievement" was associated with managerial success at lower levels. At higher levels it was the "Need for Power" that emerged as a concern for influencing people (McClelland, C.C. and Burnham, D.H. (1976). "Power is the Great Motivator." Harvard Business Review, 54, 159-166.
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- A simple reminder...hire slow and fire fast.
- Those leaders who are truly committed to be constantly action oriented accomplish the most and are the most successful. Yet, their motivation is to achieve meaningful goals that exceeds the expectations of others.
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COACH'S NOTE
Becoming the best at work takes courage to confront the "myth of good work" while seeking a simple and elegant solution to a conundrum. It takes the unbridled energy that comes with achieving mastery to persist in solving a complex problem. However, once you do, others will take notice either within your company or possible society at large. You never know, if you begin focusing on your unique inclination and invent a simple and elegant solution, you too could become the next Leonardo di Vinci.
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Solving People and Management Issues
The Heller Group, Inc. focuses on coaching for senior level executives. We facilitate change within an organization that results in more effective leadership, increased productivity, innovative thinking, and improved employee morale and retention.
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Dr. Bruce Heller
Dr. Bruce Heller, founder of The Heller Group, Inc., has over 20 years experience consulting with managers and executives on executive education, leadership development, and organizational.
He is an adjunct professor at Loyola Marymount University teaching "Power, Politics, and Negotiations in Organizations" to MBA students. Dr. Heller is also an adjunct professor at Southwestern Law School teaching "Developing Political Savvy in the Legal Profession."
Dr. Heller is a consulting psychologist and member of the American Psychological Association Consulting Psychology Division. Dr. Heller holds a Ph.D. and Masters Degree in Education from the University of Southern California.
Dr. Heller is the author of The Prodigal Executive-How to Coach Executives Too Painful to Keep, Too Valuable to Fire.
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