Have you ever noticed how we sometimes get in our own way when it comes to problem-solving? There’s a pattern I’ve observed time and time again in group decision-making scenarios, whether it’s a retrospective or a post-action assessment. It goes something like this:
- Assemble a diverse team? Check.
- Include people with skin in the game? Check.
- Prime everyone to leverage collective intelligence? Check.
So far, so good. But then, something insidious happens: we put on our blinders and fall into the trap of tunnel vision.
The Solution Bias in Action
Let’s consider a hypothetical scenario:
During a meeting, someone raises an issue: “Our new product line is generating an unacceptable level of customer complaints because we don’t have enough Quality Control Assessors (QCAs) at the end of the production line.”
What happens next? We dive headfirst into brainstorming ways to increase the number of QCAs. We might justify the increased costs by claiming that customer satisfaction is paramount. Or we might get creative, finding ways to repurpose existing staff as QCAs.
But here’s the kicker: we’ve become so fixated on the suggested solution that we’ve completely overlooked the root causes. We’ve forgotten that sometimes, we don’t have the luxury of increasing costs willy-nilly. In fact, keeping the lights on might actually serve our customers better in the long run.
The Power of Digging Deeper
What if the real issue was as simple and cost-effective as examining the new supplier we recently onboarded at the start of the process? Could we have caught the poor quality there, where it would have been less costly to resolve?
The takeaway? Words matter. When framing a problem, it can be detrimental to include our own assumed solution before we’ve had a chance to dig deeper.
Breaking Free from Solution Bias
To avoid falling into this trap:
- Present problems without suggesting solutions upfront
- Encourage the team to explore multiple root causes
- Consider the broader impact of potential solutions
- Remember that the most obvious fix isn’t always the best one
By being aware of solution bias, we can harness the true power of collective intelligence and make smarter, more effective decisions.
Remember, the next time you’re in a problem-solving meeting, take a step back and ask: Are we solving the real problem, or are we just chasing the first solution that came to mind?
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