Creative Problem Solving

“Turning Problems into Opportunity”

“Would you believe me if I told you that there is a town in the American south that built a monument to the boll weevil?

The boll weevil is a tiny, terrifying, little beetle. Its larvae can destroy a cotton crop faster than you can whistle “Dixie”, and Enterprise, Alabama is a town that was once totally dependent on the cotton industry.

One day, disaster struck Enterprise as the boll weevil wiped out the town’s entire cotton crop. However, the people in Enterprise refused to give up. They put their heads together, did some creative thinking, and decided that they needed to diversify. And that is exactly what they did. In fact, they were so successful that the name of the town became more fitting than ever. – story by Lou Tice of The Pacific Institute

Since they now have a variety of industries, they no longer have to worry about crop failures and the community has prospered. In the end, everyone realized that the best friend they ever had was the boll weevil, so they actually built a monument to honor the little insect.

Is it a problem or is it an Opportunity

You see, every problem can be seen as an opportunity and every burden can become a bridge, if you choose to use them that way. Every time you turn a problem into an opportunity, you boost your self-esteem and efficacy, so that in the future, you will be able to take on even bigger challenges.

Restating the problem encourages creativity. Looking for the “silver lining” and help you to see the situation in a very different and positive light. Wouldn’t you agree that most people wouldn’t see a pest as a “silver lining”? In addition, you need to look at the problem – it’s roots and its offshoots – from as many different angles as possible. Create a team of individuals who come from different backgrounds to help assess the problem and it’s potential opportunities. Having different perspectives will help in creatively overcoming the problem and turning it into a learning experience.

The use of problem solving tools like brainstorming, affinity diagrams and treeing can help you to see the problem in many different lights and can bring solutions to the surface. Keep in mind that your paradigm needs to be one of planning rather than problem solving. The better the planning process the fewer problems you will have, but you won’t be able to eliminate them all. Planning for them helps you to discover and overcome them quicker and more productively. Knowing how to move through them is key. Learning the tools and keeping an open mind are essential.

Life Changes are Opportunities for Creativity

Let’s look at life changes as we age. Looking for the silver lining or opportunities to try things differently can bring much joy after the re-acclimation period. Don’t look for all the negatives, they’ll find you. Look for the opportunities, they are the hidden treasures.

What might heading into menopause look like if you were to look for creative ideas to deal with the changes yourself as well as what you can then share with others? Well, I’m very grateful to whoever it was that discovered that a drop of Peppermint Essential Oil at the base of your skull can help reduce the severity of hot flashes. Or as I like to think of them as – Flashes of brilliance! What a great way to change your focus to the positive and get creative in dealing with things that happen. How about learning about what you can do to support the changes in your body and support the systems that are getting tired?

What will you do today to look differently at a problem and be creative in coming up with a solution?

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