Is Your Nonprofit Solving the Right Problem?

The following is a conversation between Thomas Wedell-Wedellsborg, the Author of What's Your Problem? To Solve Your Toughest Problems, Change the Problems You Solve, and Denver Frederick, the Host of The Business of Giving. Denver: The World Economic Forum lists complex problem solving as the number one skill for 21st-century jobs. But how many of us, faced with a problem, just dive right in looking for a solution? My next guest says there's a better way, and that's taking a moment to reframe the problem presented to you and determine whether it, in fact, is the right problem to be working on. He is Thomas Wedell-Wedellsborg, the Author of What's Your Problem? To Solve Your Toughest Problems, Change the Problems You Solve. Key Points from This Episode Thomas on what led him to write a book about problem-solving [00:42] The basic definition of a problem according to Thomas [01:59] Reframing is not a new idea [02:50] Reframing a problem vs analyzing a problem [04:24] Five reframing strategies [06:13] How Lori Weise reframed America's shelter dog problem [12:54] Why the skill of  reframing a problem is important [15:40] Reframing is an iterative process [16:26] The key contribution Thomas is making through his reframing strategies [18:01] Reframing is not just about the big problems but also getting the small things right [19:05] The relationship between good problem solvers and frustration [21:41] Three framing indicators to keep an eye out for [22:03] Real-world problem: The brilliant way a leader reframed his boss problem Paralysis Analysis [25:09] Thomas' vision [25:49]