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Leadership Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic: Identifying Problem Type
Like the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 is a real-time case study in leadership best (and worst) practices. Consequently, leaders at all levels have an opportunity to learn valuable lessons during this global crisis to better prepare themselves for future crises.
What follows is the first in a series of articles highlighting those leadership lessons, beginning with the importance of accurately defining problem types BEFORE trying to solve them.
Types of Problems
Problems are like people — they should be approached as individual entities. Unfortunately, leaders too often attempt to solve problems as if they all were the same. But they’re not. As David Crislip and Carl Larson noted in their book Collaborative Leadership: How Citizens and Civic Leaders Can Make a Difference, problems are one of three types:
Type I Problem: Clear Problem, Clear Solution: A Strong Leader is Needed to Make the Decision.
EXAMPLE: Two teams have booked the same conference room for a meeting, but a second conference room down the hall is open.
Type II Problem: Clear Problem, Unclear Solution: A Leader Seeks Input from Others and Works with Others to Make an Informed…
