Wise ideas tend to be attributed to wise people to make sure everyone knows that it is a wise idea. I guess, that that’s why there is a quote flowing through the internet, attributing the idea “I would spend 55 minutes defining the problem and then five minutes solving it” to Albert Einstein.

It’s still a good idea.

Taking more time to grasp the problem than to solve it allows us to grasp what the problem actually is.

But that’s hard.

We’ve been taught for years, that it is important to act. So, when a problem arises, the first thought is “what can I do about it?”

Take some time to sit with a problem.

How uncomfortable is that for you? Does it move you outside of your comfort zone?

If it does, you might have perceived a skill you are not yet firm in, taking some structured time to understand the problem you are confronted with.

Discussing with a group of leaders I was reminded of how frequent this is. People evolving towards leadership roles often do so out of a role in which they could rely on their expertise. In their case, it was one that needed a different skill set than the one they looked for to develop leadership competence.