Do you need to learn Problem Solving 101?

Recently, I was asked to review Problem Solving 101, a book by management consultant Ken Watabee that was written for children--but became the bestselling business book in Japan that year.

The thing I really like about this book is how it urges readers to go beyond their first assumptions.  

A really good example in the book showed how a young soccer player realized that choosing to go to the 2nd best soccer school would actually benefit her much more than going to the best soccer school.

This wasn't a conclusion that was obvious from the beginning--as the best soccer school was in a "better" location and seemed to have more benefits.  But, when the young girl thought more about the decision, she realized that she would actually have more opportunities to do what she really wanted (play elite soccer and learn Spanish) if she went to the 2nd best school instead.

With the same example, I also liked how the young girl realized that she had overlooked a lot of possibilities when she had first thought about funding her tuition for the school.  Originally, she had thought that she had to pay it all herself... which turned out not to be true (she was able to get scholarships and a sponsor).

That to me was a really powerful example of how people can make things happen even if it seems impossible at first.  One of my deepest beliefs is that is everything is possible... if you only look hard enough for a way to make it happen.

Problem Solving 101's biggest strengths come from the well thought-out examples and demonstrations of problem solving.  The diagrams do an excellent job showing how to shape your thought process!

What didn't really impress me about the book is actually what made is so successful in Japan: that this book is written in such a simple fashion.

This isn't necessarily a bad thing.  I've enjoyed other books of this sort, like Jack's Notebook and The Alchemist.  And it makes the book very approachable for any type of audience.

But I think it is a little too simple for a business audience in the US.  Most Americans learn problem-solving in school or in college... and this isn't anything mind-bogglingly new.  Plus, the examples and illustrations are a little too childish and cute.  They convey the point well, but are more suited to a younger audience.

This doesn't mean the book is bad.  In fact, I think it's quite charming.  It's just not what I personally would look for in a business book.

The good thing about the simplicity of Problem Solving 101 is that the book is very upfront that it was originally written for children.  As such, I have a lot of respect for how well it's done and how it's managed to charm business people of all ages.

I'm just not sure it will take off so wildly here in the US because we've seen this sort of thing before.  However, I think it will resonate with people who are just learning about problem solving.

My evaluation: A cute book that has some charming examples--but a little elementary for anyone who has done work with problem solving before.  Get it as an intro for yourself, or for a younger person who needs to learn how to improve their thinking.  They'll definitely like it.

Want the book? I have one to give away!  Comment below with a sticky problem you need to solve!

Comments

[Andy Erickson]

My gut response is to go pick this up for my 13 year old daughter. It sounds *great* for that level.

I really appreciate your perspective of anything is possible. Given the same premise, I tend to dive in because others claim some obstacle. I don't want to prove them wrong, and I don't want to judge them. I just want to get something done. It's better than wasting away in front of a television.

My current sticky problem is cultural, systemic, and requires collaboration on many fronts. I'm part of a community of innovators in the Cincinnati region. My little piece of this work is in developing a Center of Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Information Technology at the University of Cincinnati. The problem is sustaining innovation and entrepreneurship. One facet of this problem that I'm focusing on is keeping students motivated to take risks with longer-term outcomes in mind.

Pragmatically, when IT students graduate they can continue to develop their ideas in an entrepreneur model, i.e. little pay, little sleep, no insurance, continue to live in an apartment, etc. Or they can take a cush corporate job and become a comfortable cube dweller where the basic needs are met leaving expendable income available for "higher" needs. The cube dweller generally does not pursue their ideas past graduation.

Choice one *might* lead to a nice payoff someday along with creating jobs and the associated regional benefits. Choice two is the bird in the hand. Finding or developing more of the choice one students is one of my problems.

[Bill Perry]

The sticky problem I'm having right now is one of simple logistics. I'm going to attend a Hypnotherapy Certification training in September. As of yet, I've no way to get there and no place to stay.

The school is being paid for by my GI Bill (was in the Navy for a while). Normally, schools get you so much per month while full-time. This school, however, is quite expensive and requires up-front tuition.

So, I won't have the normal cash-flow one would get from using the GI Bill. The school itself is about 900 miles from home.

It will all come together, I'm still exploring the solution space.

[Geoffrey]

A primer to problem solving, one that I could use to fire up my problem solving skills. I'll put up my "sticky problem" in hope that the book will come my way.

I've walked a road that no longer suites my needs or interest, if it ever did. It was the safe expected road to take. Like Robert Frost's lone traveller [The Road Not Taken] I've now arrived at the diverging road in the yellow wood and "long I stood". Which road, to take? Both offer opportunities and risks, though one feels powerless to move or choose.

So I continue to stand ... letting the status quo reign. Becoming a little more annoyed with each passing day.

[Nathaniel]

Hey Katie

At the moment I don't have a sticky problem that needs to be solved, so I thought I would share some problem solving lessons I learned from the book "Get Smarter" by Seymour Schulich. In the book there is a great chapter called "The Decision-Maker: A tool for a lifetime", which outlines some steps to take that will make making big decisions much more simple.

It works like a pro-con list. List all the positive aspects about the issue in question, then give each one a score from zero to ten (higher the score the more important to you). On another sheet do the same thing but for the negative points. Score them, but this time ten means it is a major drawback. Add up your scores, and if the positive is at least double the negative score than you should do it for sure.

Hope this helps!

[dave]

Hi Katie,

"The thing I really like about this book is how it urges readers to go beyond their first assumptions."

Might this very statement be reason to pick up this book?

The business world ate up the cheese, one-minute managing, fish and raving fan books. That demonstrates where we might be on the sophistication spectrum.

Of course one must keep an open mind, but learning moments sometimes catch us when we least expect them - perhaps in this book's case.

I enjoy your perspective!

Dave