Problem solving 2.0
One of our primitive habits which we’ve successfully carried through generations, is to solve problems through reactions.
Take our global healthcare industry as an example, significant allocations of capital and resources on solving the problem through curing the disease rather than prevention.
An individual who values his health and wellbeing would spend $500 of his income every month on activities to improve his health — this is an upstream approach to solving problems.
An individual who ignores his well-being, maintains an unhealthy lifestyle because he can afford an expensive surgery if required -this is a downstream approach to solving problems.
I came across this concept on a bestseller from Dan Heath called Upstream.
A key takeaway I picked up was the contributing factors to our downstream thinking in solving problems:
• Problem blindness
There are several situations where we know that a fundamental problem exists and we’ve identified the contributing factors to them, however we opt to not take any action in solving the origin of the problem.
This act of normalizing the abnormal is the reason for this.
Taking control of our health is an ideal example for this.
• Accountability
Another influencing factor is lack of accountability from contributing parties.
The parties concerned are aware of their actions which filters toward the downstream action and yet they don’t change their behavior because it disturbs their status quo.
Corporates who contribute to climate change not taking responsibility for their actions.
Problems can be solved in two ways;
- Crucial point : Downstream
- Origin point : Upstream
Acknowledging there are options in our arsenal provides us a new way of thinking on solving our crucial problems in a way which hasn’t been approached before.
