Are you inclined to simplify your problems and make them easier for you to solve? Our coping mechanism is driven by a desire to feel comfortable and in control. When we make the problems smaller, we inevitably do not gain clarity on the cause but instead focus on the symptoms.
“Whenever I encounter a problem I can’t solve, I always make it bigger. I can never solve it by trying to make it smaller, but if I make it big enough, I can begin to see the outlines of a solution.” Dwight Eisenhower
Imagining a bigger problem forces us to look at the situation differently and see things differently, helping us not bog down with the minor distractions that often do not provide creative thinking but some tweaking and adjustment.
Applying the Eisenhower principle to our strategic thinking ensures we do not get lost in the minor aspects that provide little benefit while overlooking more significant opportunities. A myopic view of performance measures and objectives without an idea of the big picture is not only a distraction but also misleading. It pays us to pause and ask, ‘how can we make our problem bigger?’ What should we do if our challenge is now far more significant than we imagined?
