The critical thinking challenge

I’ve been tasked with a high KPI target but given a limited budget and a tight timeline. My tech stack tools aren’t working as expected and it’s affecting our customers. My business growth is stagnating because of the macroeconomic climate.

The shoshin solution: Think of the bigger picture and zoom out from the details. What’s the overall vision or goal? Identify the priority and the key stakeholders. Then, host a brainstorm to invite your best minds to work together. Bring together peers or colleagues from different teams and set a timer for 20 minutes to ideate as many solutions as possible. No idea is too ambitious or off-limits. Then, weave together the common threads to find a trail worth following and test out something new.

The way of working issue

Clashing diaries means I can’t get time in with my boss. My colleague is unresponsive to emails and messages, regardless of working from home or the office. I’m new to my company and I want to add value to my team.

The shoshin solution: Write down what you’re observing with specific examples, then do a SWOT analysis to identify any gaps and help weigh up different ways to approach the issue. Tap on trusted colleagues to get new information and ask questions to challenge your thinking and potentially create efficiencies, avoid duplication and inspire a new way of doing something.

When you choose a shoshin mindset at work, you might find delight in what you learn. Being an expert isn’t all it’s cracked up to be anyway.

How to apply ‘shoshin’ – the concept of a beginner’s mind – to solve problems at work