Don't Be a Cookie-Cutter Consultant
Four problem-solving techniques to help you reach more creative recommendations
As consultants, we're often brought in to tackle complex problems and bring clarity to chaotic situations. Our clients expect us to have a toolkit of problem-solving frameworks at our fingertips - Porter's 5 Forces, the BCG Growth/Share matrix, McKinsey's 7S Framework, and the like.
These frameworks are popular for a reason. They're powerful tools that help organise information and make complex decisions more manageable.
BUT…relying too heavily on these structured frameworks can lead to one-size-fits-all, cookie-cutter recommendations. If your recommendations:
Could apply to any company in the industry,
Look great on paper but fall flat in the real world, or
Fail to address the unique challenges of your client,
you might need to start from a different place to unlock more creative thinking.
The four problem-solving methods we are sharing here are designed to open up your thinking. They're not about constraining you within a pre-defined structure, but about expanding your thought processes and fostering innovation.
Are you ready to ditch the cookie-cutter and whip up something more exciting?
Four Creative Problem-Solving Tools
1. Knowledge Funnel: Distilling your thinking
Think of the Knowledge Funnel as a way to distil your thoughts from broad concepts to specific actions. It's like making a perfect espresso shot of ideas:
Aim: What's the ultimate goal?
Implications: What does achieving this goal mean?
Alternatives: What are the different routes to get there?
Recommendation: What's the best path forward?
This method helps you guide your clients from fuzzy objectives to crystal-clear action plans.
2. Reverse Brainstorming: Flipping the script
Imagine you're trying to help a client boost revenue in a specific customer segment. Instead of asking, "How can we increase sales?", try
"What would absolutely tank our sales to this segment?"
You might come up with ideas like:
Selling through the wrong channels
Offering the wrong products
Marketing to the wrong audience
Using an ineffective sales process
Then, just flip them back over and you have a list of ideas to help you grow revenue. By identifying what would drive customers away, you gain insights into what matters to them.
3. The Six Hats: Discovering through perspective
Edward de Bono's Six Hats technique is like trying on different pairs of glasses to view a problem. Each ‘hat’ represents a different way of thinking:
White Hat: Just the facts
Red Hat: Gut feelings, emotions, and intuition
Black Hat: Pitfalls, risks, and downsides
Yellow Hat: Positives, benefits, and upsides
Green Hat: Creative possibilities and new ideas
Blue Hat: The ‘how?’ and process
Pro tip: Bring actual hats to your next client meeting. It's a fun way to get everyone to shift their thinking and might just lead to some breakthrough ideas!
4. The 5 Whys: Searching for the root cause
The 5 Whys can feel like being that annoying kid who keeps asking "Why?". But, the kid knows something valuable. The first answer isn’t the most insightful one. They keep asking because they want to get to the root cause. Here's how it might play out:
Problem: "Our revenue is declining."
Why? "Sales are down."
Why? "We are not attracting our target customers."
Why? "We are not front of mind for them."
Why? "Our marketing distribution isn’t effective."
Why? "We’re not spending as much as competitors."
Root cause: “We prioritised other investments over marketing.”
Ready to put your cookie-cutter away?
The next time you're tempted to reach for that familiar framework, why not try something else? Your next groundbreaking idea might be just a reverse brainstorm or a colourful hat away! Your clients will thank you for the fresh perspective, and you'll rediscover the excitement of finding truly unique solutions.
Remember, the best consultants don't just solve problems – they redefine them in ways that unlock new possibilities.
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