Mind Value: Effective Reframing for Problem Solving

Me: For a simple problem where the cause and effect are clearly known, there is always a solution. Such as a machine breakdown.

For complicated and complex problems (usually when people are involved) where the cause-and-effect is not clear, the solution is uncertain.

Asking the right question is key. Asking the wrong questions leads to wrong answers.

People may be saying a fact, but their interpretation of the cause-and-effect relationship may be wrong.

Time Orientation: past-present-future:

Asking why it happens creates past-oriented thinking, leading to giving excuses, wrong reasons, and reasoning.

Asking what we could do now for a better future is future-oriented, which is more useful.

What should be our mindset, and what questions should we ask when a problem occurs?

DeepSeek:

You’ve highlighted a critical reframing principle for problem-solving! Shifting from a reactive, deficit-focused question ("How can we reduce staff turnover?") to a proactive, possibility-driven one ("How can we make our staff want to stay?") transforms the entire approach to problem-solving. Here’s why this mindset shift matters and how to apply it systematically:

Why This Reframing Works

Focus on Root Causes, Not Symptoms

The original question assumes turnover is inevitable and focuses on damage control.
The reframed question targets the source of turnover (e.g., disengagement, lack of growth) by asking, “What would make people choose to stay?”

Invites Creativity and Empowerment

“Reduce turnover” implies restriction (e.g., stricter contracts, penalties).
“Make staff want to stay” opens the door to solutions like career development, meaningful work, or cultural improvements.

Aligns with Intrinsic Motivation

People act based on emotions and values. The new question taps into what employees truly value (e.g., purpose, recognition, belonging).

Examples of Reframing Other Common Problems

Apply this “possibility mindset” to other challenges:

Reactive Question	Proactive Reframe
“How do we stop customer complaints?”	“How can we create experiences that delight customers?”
“How do we fix low sales?”	“What would make customers enthusiastically recommend us?”
“Why are projects always late?”	“How can we design workflows that energize teams to deliver faster?”
“How do we reduce employee burnout?”	“How can we create a workplace that sustains energy and passion?”

Key Principles for Asking Better Questions

Abundance > Scarcity

Instead of “What’s wrong?” ask, “What’s possible?”
Example: Replace “Why is morale low?” with “What would make our team feel proud to work here?”

Intrinsic > Extrinsic

Focus on internal drivers (e.g., autonomy, mastery, purpose) over external fixes (e.g., pay hikes, perks).
Example: Instead of “How do we force deadlines?” ask, “How can we help teams own their deadlines?”

Systems > Symptoms

Ask questions that expose systemic patterns, not one-off failures.
Example: Replace “Who messed up?” with “What processes allowed this error to slip through?”

Future > Past

Avoid “Why did this happen?” (past-focused) and ask, “What can we build/learn to prevent this?”

Action Steps to Implement This Mindset

Identify Deficit Language

Watch for words like stop, fix, reduce, prevent – they signal a reactive stance.

Flip to Possibility

Add phrases like:

“How can we make [X] want to…?”
“What would inspire [Y] to…?”
“How might we design [Z] to thrive?”

Measure What You Want to Grow

If you ask, “How can staff want to stay?”, track metrics like engagement scores, mentorship participation, or career progression rates – not just turnover stats.

Co-Create with Stakeholders

Ask employees: “What would make you excited to stay here for 5+ years?”

Case Study: Southwest Airlines’ “Hire for Attitude” Approach

Instead of asking, “How do we reduce customer service failures?”, Southwest asked, “How can we hire people who love making others happy?” This led to their iconic focus on recruiting employees with humor, empathy, and teamwork – a key reason for their industry-leading customer satisfaction.

Final Takeaway

The way you frame a problem determines the solutions you see. By asking “How can we make [X] want to…?”, you shift energy from blame/control to empowerment/innovation. It’s not semantics – it’s strategy.

Me: instead of asking “how can be reduce staff turnover" we should ask "How can we make our staff want to stay"

Why This Reframing Works

Focus on Root Causes, Not Symptoms

The original question assumes turnover is inevitable and focuses on damage control.
The reframed question targets the source of turnover (e.g., disengagement, lack of growth) by asking, “What would make people choose to stay?”

Invites Creativity and Empowerment

“Reduce turnover” implies restriction (e.g., stricter contracts, penalties).
“Make staff want to stay” opens the door to solutions like career development, meaningful work, or cultural improvements.

Aligns with Intrinsic Motivation

People act based on emotions and values. The new question taps into what employees truly value (e.g., purpose, recognition, belonging).

Examples of Reframing Other Common Problems

Apply this “possibility mindset” to other challenges:

Reactive Question	Proactive Reframe
“How do we stop customer complaints?”	“How can we create experiences that delight customers?”
“How do we fix low sales?”	“What would make customers enthusiastically recommend us?”
“Why are projects always late?”	“How can we design workflows that energize teams to deliver faster?”
“How do we reduce employee burnout?”	“How can we create a workplace that sustains energy and passion?”

Key Principles for Asking Better Questions

Abundance > Scarcity

Instead of “What’s wrong?” ask, “What’s possible?”
Example: Replace “Why is morale low?” with “What would make our team feel proud to work here?”

Intrinsic > Extrinsic

Focus on internal drivers (e.g., autonomy, mastery, purpose) over external fixes (e.g., pay hikes, perks).
Example: Instead of “How do we force deadlines?” ask, “How can we help teams own their deadlines?”

Systems > Symptoms

Ask questions that expose systemic patterns, not one-off failures.
Example: Replace “Who messed up?” with “What processes allowed this error to slip through?”

Future > Past

Avoid “Why did this happen?” (past-focused) and ask, “What can we build/learn to prevent this?”

Action Steps to Implement This Mindset

Identify Deficit Language

Watch for words like stop, fix, reduce, prevent – they signal a reactive stance.

Flip to Possibility

Add phrases like:

“How can we make [X] want to…?”
“What would inspire [Y] to…?”
“How might we design [Z] to thrive?”

Measure What You Want to Grow

If you ask, “How can staff want to stay?”, track metrics like engagement scores, mentorship participation, or career progression rates – not just turnover stats.

Co-Create with Stakeholders

Ask employees: “What would make you excited to stay here for 5+ years?”

Case Study: Southwest Airlines’ “Hire for Attitude” Approach

Final Takeaway

Me: future vision-oriented solution-oriented mindset does not negate past root cause analysis, because if we fail to find the root cause, our planned solution may not work.

You’re absolutely right: a future-oriented, solution-focused mindset does not negate root cause analysis—it repositions how we use insights from the past to inform action rather than dwell on blame. The key is to analyze the past without getting trapped in it, ensuring that root cause exploration serves the purpose of building better systems for the future, not assigning fault or justifying inaction.

Here’s how to integrate both approaches effectively:

1. Balancing Past and Future: A Hybrid Framework

Past Analysis	Future Action
"What systemic patterns contributed to this problem?"	"How can we redesign the system to prevent recurrence?"
"What assumptions or gaps led to unintended outcomes?"	"What new assumptions or safeguards can we adopt moving forward?"
"What lessons can we extract from this failure?"	"How will we apply these lessons to innovate?"

2. Root Cause Analysis ≠ Blame or Excuses

The problem with traditional "why" questions (e.g., "Why did this happen?") is that they often devolve into defensive reasoning (e.g., "Because Team X failed"). Instead, reframe root cause analysis to focus on systems, not people:

❌ "Why did the project fail?" → Blame-oriented.
✅ "What processes or resource gaps made this project vulnerable to failure?" → Systems-oriented.

Example:

Problem: High staff turnover.
Root Cause (Past): "Employees report feeling undervalued due to lack of growth opportunities."
Future Action: "How can we co-create career pathways that align with employees’ aspirations?"

3. Questions That Bridge Past and Future

To avoid "analysis paralysis" while still honoring root causes, ask:

Diagnostic (Past):

"What systemic factors (processes, incentives, culture) allowed this problem to emerge?"
"What worked well in similar past situations, and why?"

Proactive (Future):

"How can we turn these insights into experiments or safeguards?"
"What would success look like in 6 months, and what steps get us there?"

Learning Loop:

"How will we continuously monitor and adapt based on feedback?"

4. Avoiding Pitfalls

Trap 1: Endless "why" chains without action.

Fix: Cap root cause analysis at 2–3 layers (e.g., Toyota’s "5 Whys" but with a future pivot).

Trap 2: Treating past data as destiny.

Fix: Ask, "What would we do differently if this root cause disappeared tomorrow?"

Trap 3: Confusing symptoms (e.g., turnover) with root causes (e.g., poor leadership, stagnant roles).

Case Study: Toyota’s "5 Whys" with a Future Twist

Toyota’s famous root cause method can be adapted to stay future-focused:

Why did the machine stop? → A fuse blew.
Why did the fuse blow? → Overload due to poor lubrication.
Why was lubrication insufficient? → The pump wasn’t maintained.
Why wasn’t it maintained? → No checklist for technicians.
Why no checklist? → Leadership assumed technicians "knew better."

Future pivot:

Action: Co-design maintenance checklists with technicians.
Mindset: "How can we empower technicians to own and improve maintenance protocols?"

5. Key Mindset Shifts

From: "Who caused this?" → To: "What systems allowed this, and how can we improve them?"
From: "How do we prevent this error?" → To: "How do we build resilience so errors become learning opportunities?"
From: "Why did we fail?" → To: "What does this teach us about our next breakthrough?"

Final Takeaway

Root cause analysis is vital, but only when it’s purpose-driven—aimed at building better systems, not ruminating on failures. Pair diagnostic questions with future-oriented action by asking:
"Given what we now know, what can we start doing to create a better outcome?"

This bridges the gap between understanding the past and designing the future. 🚀

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ChatGPT Summary:

Summary: Reframing Problems for Better Solutions

1. Types of Problems:

Simple problems (e.g., machine breakdowns): Clear cause-and-effect; straightforward solutions.
Complicated/complex problems (especially involving people): Cause-effect is unclear; solutions are uncertain and require deeper thinking.

2. The Power of Asking the Right Questions:

Wrong questions lead to wrong answers and solutions.
People may speak facts, but they may interpret cause and effect incorrectly.
Time orientation matters:

Past-focused ("Why did this happen?") can lead to excuses, blame, or unproductive reasoning.
Future-focused ("What can we do now for a better future?") encourages action and creativity.

3. Reframing from Reactive to Proactive:

Example: Instead of asking “How can we reduce staff turnover?”, ask “How can we make staff want to stay?”
This shift:

Moves from damage control to building intrinsic motivation.
Focuses on root causes (like disengagement) rather than symptoms (turnover).
Invites creativity, ownership, and systemic thinking.

4. Reframing Common Business Questions:

Reactive Question	Reframed Question
How do we stop customer complaints?	How can we create experiences that delight customers?
Why are projects always late?	How can we energize teams to deliver faster with better workflows?
How do we reduce burnout?	How can we create a workplace that sustains energy and passion?

5. Principles for Better Questions:

Abundance > Scarcity: Focus on possibilities, not problems.
Intrinsic > Extrinsic: Tap into values, purpose, and meaning.
Systems > Symptoms: Look at processes, not individual blame.
Future > Past: Use the past for insights, but act toward the future.

6. Integrating Root Cause Analysis Effectively:

Future-oriented thinking doesn’t ignore root causes—it leverages them.
Use past insights to design better future systems, not to assign blame.
Reframe “why” questions to be systems-oriented, not blame-based.

7. Balanced Framework: Past + Future

Past-Oriented Diagnostic Questions	Future-Oriented Action Questions
What systemic gaps led to this?	How can we redesign the system to prevent recurrence?
What assumptions failed?	What new safeguards should we build in?
What lessons can we learn?	How will we apply these to create innovation and improvement?

8. Actionable Strategies:

Cap “why” chains (e.g., Toyota’s 5 Whys) at 2–3 layers to avoid over-analysis.
Always pivot root cause analysis to a forward-looking question.
Co-create solutions with stakeholders.
Measure what you want to grow (e.g., engagement, not just turnover).

Final Takeaway:

“The way you frame a problem determines the solutions you see.”
Effective problem-solving blends root cause insight with a future-oriented, possibility-driven mindset. Don’t just ask what went wrong—ask what could be better and how we can get there together.

Mind Value

15 April 2025

Effective Reframing for Problem Solving

ChatGPT Summary:

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