The Everyday Puzzle
I’ve always believed that life doesn’t come with problems — it comes with puzzles.
Problems demand worry; puzzles demand curiosity.
Whether it’s a tricky diagnosis in the hospital, a staff conflict, or a personal dilemma — we all stand before situations that seem to whisper, “Solve me if you can.”
And here’s the secret — the best problem solvers aren’t necessarily the most intelligent. They are the most observant. They don’t panic; they pause. They don’t rush for answers; they ask better questions.
In my early career days, I used to think solving problems meant having all the answers ready — like a quick-fix doctor.
But years later, I’ve realized the opposite is true. The best solutions come from slowing down, listening deeper, and thinking wider.
Problem solving, whether in medicine or in life, is an art of balance — between empathy and logic, between imagination and evidence.
So today, let’s talk about this art — how to solve problems faster, better, and with fewer grey hairs.
Stanford’s 5-Step Design Thinking: From Medicine to Management
The world of innovation has borrowed heavily from medicine — observation, diagnosis, intervention, evaluation.
That’s why I find Stanford’s 5-Step Design Thinking Model so natural. It’s how a good doctor — or a good leader — approaches challenges.
Let’s walk through these five steps with real-life wisdom:
1. Empathize – Listen Before You Prescribe
In hospitals, we call it “taking a history.” In life, it’s called listening.
Before solving a problem, understand it — not from your view, but from the other person’s eyes.
Whether it’s a colleague upset over work distribution or a system failure in patient flow — empathy is the stethoscope of problem-solving. It helps you feel the pulse before you start the treatment.
👉 Ask yourself: What does this problem feel like to others involved?
When we empathize, we stop blaming and start understanding. That’s where every solution begins.
2. Define – Name the Disease Before the Cure
A problem half-defined is a problem half-solved.
In medicine, we don’t treat “pain” — we find whether it’s gastritis, heart disease, or gallstones.
Similarly, in management or daily life, don’t jump to conclusions. Clarify the problem statement.
“The staff isn’t motivated.”
“The staff feels unheard during meetings, leading to low motivation.”
See the difference? One is a complaint; the other is a diagnosis.
Once you define the real issue, your mind starts finding real answers.
3. Ideate – Let Ideas Flow, Not Fear
Here’s the fun part — brainstorming.
Too often, we censor ourselves thinking, “What if it’s silly?”
But remember, every great idea once looked ridiculous.
(After all, when someone first said, “Let’s fly in a metal tube through the sky,” people laughed too.)
So, write down all ideas — logical, wild, impractical, poetic — everything. Then, let logic filter later.
When you let creativity breathe, innovation walks in quietly.
4. Prototype – Test Before You Invest
In hospitals, before introducing a new process, we do a small trial — a pilot project.
In problem-solving, it’s the same. Don’t overhaul everything at once. Test your idea on a small scale.
Want to improve hospital cleanliness? Try the new system in one ward first.
Want to change your daily routine? Try it for three days.
Prototyping lets you experiment safely. It gives feedback without fear.
Remember, failure at the prototype stage is progress — it’s feedback wearing a different dress.
5. Test – Observe, Reflect, Refine
Once you’ve tested, watch and learn. Did it solve the problem, or did it create new ones?
Did people respond better, or resist more?
Testing isn’t about proving you’re right — it’s about improving what’s right.
Every feedback, every small observation, is a stepping stone to a better system, a better process, or sometimes, a better you.
SWOT Analysis: Seeing the Problem From All Four Directions
The next tool I love is SWOT — Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats.
I call it the “4 corners of clarity.”
When you stand in the center of confusion, SWOT is your map.
Let’s say your hospital or department faces a recurring delay in patient reports. Instead of panicking, just draw a four-box chart:
Strengths: Dedicated team, equipment available
Weaknesses: Poor coordination between departments
Opportunities: Digitalization, cross-training staff
Threats: Burnout, patient dissatisfaction
Suddenly, the fog clears. You can see where to act.
SWOT works not only for organizations — but for individuals too.
Try doing your personal SWOT. You’ll be amazed at how self-awareness transforms your growth path.
Because before we fix the world, we must understand ourselves.
The PDCA Cycle: Plan, Do, Check, Act
If Design Thinking is the artist’s brush, the PDCA Cycle is the engineer’s gear.
Simple, powerful, and endlessly practical.
1️⃣ Plan: Define objectives and outcomes.
What exactly do you want to fix? Set realistic targets.
2️⃣ Do: Implement the plan — one step at a time.
3️⃣ Check: Evaluate results honestly. Don’t just look for success; look for lessons.
4️⃣ Act: Adjust and improve. Fine-tune. Repeat.
It’s a cycle — because problem-solving is continuous.
Every solved problem gives birth to a smaller, newer one — a sign that growth is happening.
Six Timeless Habits of Great Problem Solvers
Now let’s simplify it further — six habits I’ve seen in every successful problem solver, from hospital wards to boardrooms.
1. Ask Open-Ended Questions
Instead of “Did you do this?”, ask “What made this happen?”
It opens doors rather than building walls.
The right question turns conflict into conversation.
2. Encourage Diverse Perspectives
Invite voices different from yours. Sometimes the best insight comes from the quietest corner of the room.
Diversity of thought breaks the tunnel vision that keeps us stuck.
In the hospital, a nurse’s suggestion can sometimes solve what a senior doctor overlooked — because she sees differently.
3. Figure Out the Root Cause
Don’t treat symptoms.
If the floor is wet every morning, mopping isn’t the solution — finding the leaking pipe is.
In organizations too, solving problems superficially only delays the next crisis.
Always ask: “What’s really causing this?”
4. Break Down the Problem
Complex issues look terrifying because we see them as one big monster.
But when you slice them into smaller pieces, you realize they’re manageable.
In medicine, we break syndromes into symptoms.
In life, do the same. Solve one small thing at a time.
5. Focus on Facts, Not Feelings
Feelings are valid, but facts are vital.
Whenever emotions start clouding judgment, pause and gather data.
Truth is often calm, even when the situation isn’t.
6. Visualize the Solution
Draw it. Diagram it. Write it on a board.
When you can see your thoughts, your brain starts aligning steps automatically.
This is why surgeons draw incision plans and managers love flowcharts — clarity loves visualization.
The Doctor’s Lens on Problem Solving
Medicine taught me a powerful truth: Every problem carries its own cure — if you listen carefully.
A patient doesn’t just bring symptoms; they bring clues.
Similarly, every life challenge carries hints of its resolution within it — we just need to stay curious enough to see them.
I often tell my trainees: “In problem solving, your greatest tool isn’t your brain — it’s your attitude.”
If you treat a problem like an enemy, you’ll fight it.
If you treat it like a teacher, you’ll learn from it.
From Chaos to Clarity: A Few Stories
Once, a hospital department faced repeated waste mismanagement despite awareness sessions.
Instead of another lecture, we applied design thinking:
We empathized by asking the cleaning staff about their daily challenges.
We defined the issue — confusion in bin color codes.
We ideated a solution — visual posters and reminders.
We tested in one ward — it worked wonders.
Problem solved not by authority, but by empathy.
Another time, during a management workshop, a young doctor asked,
“Sir, what if the problem is too big to solve?”
I smiled and said, “Then solve the small piece you can. Sometimes the big one will follow.”
Because even rivers begin with drops.
The Indian Lens: From Upanishads to Today
Our ancient texts quietly hid the wisdom of problem solving.
The Bhagavad Gita teaches reflection before reaction — “Yogastha kuru karmani” — perform your duty with calm balance.
That’s essentially mindfulness-based decision making!
The Chanakya Niti speaks of foresight: “One who anticipates problems before they arise is the true wise.”
That’s proactive risk assessment.
Modern frameworks like SWOT or PDCA are new names for timeless principles — awareness, action, reflection, and adjustment.
We just need to connect old hearts with new tools.
Final Thoughts: Solving Problems, Shaping People
At the end of the day, problem solving isn’t just about fixing situations — it’s about transforming ourselves.
Every time you solve a problem, you become a little wiser, a little calmer, a little more human.
When empathy meets logic, and patience meets purpose, miracles happen quietly.
So next time life throws a puzzle at you — don’t panic. Smile. Take your metaphorical stethoscope, listen deeply, define clearly, ideate freely, test wisely, and refine endlessly.
Because the joy of problem solving isn’t just in finding answers — it’s in becoming the kind of person who can
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