Solving Problems The Right Way

Problems happen every day, everywhere—even in the comfort of your own kitchen. A little water pooling on your work surface might not seem like much, but it can reveal some very real lessons about how we approach challenges in everyday life. This is the story of how a puddle sparked a broader reflection on root causes and problem-solving, and why "firefighting" fixes are no substitute for addressing the source of an issue.

The Curious Case of the Mysterious Water Pool

We’d just moved into a lovely new house. Excitement buzzed through the air. But amidst settling in, a peculiar annoyance popped up in the kitchen. Water kept pooling in a specific corner on the work surface. It wasn’t a flood, but enough to be a repetitive nuisance.

Naturally, we jumped into action to fix it.

• First attempt: Move the drainage rack closer to the sink, hoping the water would naturally flow back instead of pooling.

• Second attempt: Change the orientation of the mat under the drainage rack.

• Third attempt: Buy a sleek little holder for the cleaning sponges to declutter the corner.

No luck. The water kept coming back. Frustration started to creep in. The problem remained stubbornly unsolved until, one day, the rest of the household went off on holiday, leaving me at home alone (with just the dogs for company). That’s when I finally decided to pause and really look at the issue.

Discovering the Root Cause

Armed with a cup of coffee and time to observe, I studied the situation closely. And there it was. The water wasn’t coming from all the guessed possibilities we’d worked tirelessly to fix. It was from wet hands reaching out to grab the washing-up liquid and handwash dispenser.

With this newfound clarity, the solution was glaringly obvious. I moved the holder for the sponges to instead hold the bottles of washing-up liquid and handwash. Problem solved. No water pooling. No more frustration.

The experience led me to this realisation: none of our previous attempts addressed the actual cause. We were "firefighting" the symptoms, but never dug deep enough to uncover where the water was really coming from.

How Often Do We Firefight Problems?

This isn’t just a kitchen conundrum. It’s something we see in workplaces, households, and teams of all shapes and sizes. Ever hear someone lament, “We’re constantly firefighting”? The phrase highlights a reactive mindset, where time and energy are spent trying to clean up after a problem rather than stopping it at its source.

Whether it’s dealing with overflowing emails, recurring operational glitches, or unsatisfying outcomes in a project, we often jump straight into a patch-up solution without pausing to ask, "What’s really causing this?"

It reminds me of the “Dead Horse Theory” applied in business and kitchen management (as outlined in an industry case study). It’s the idea of pouring resources into fixing something doomed to fail, instead of stepping back, acknowledging the real issue, and addressing it head-on.

Why Root-Cause Analysis Matters

The lesson here is something many of us intuitively know but often neglect in practice. Solving the root cause of a problem is infinitely more effective than throwing short-term solutions at its symptoms. Identifying the "why" behind what’s going wrong can save valuable time, effort, and often money.

Imagine if we approached every issue with three steps:

1. Pause and Assess

Instead of rushing to a quick fix, spend some time observing and understanding what’s really happening. What are the patterns? What’s changing the dynamic? Often, the answers are hiding in plain sight.

2. Test and Validate Observations

Once you pinpoint the likely cause, test it. Be curious. Experiment. Make small adjustments to confirm whether you’re addressing the core issue.

3. Implement a Targeted Solution

Once you know what’s causing the problem, solving it becomes much simpler. The solution doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive, but it should directly handle the root cause.

Lessons for Teams and Workplaces

Just as my water pooling issue stemmed from a misplacement of items, organisational challenges often arise from misalignments in processes, habits, or culture. Addressing root causes can have an incredible ripple effect on performance and morale.

For example:

• Instead of blaming low sales on the team or marketing budget, look at whether customer needs are aligned with your product offerings.

• Rather than constantly replacing staff due to burnout, identify whether workloads or toxic dynamics might be the issue.

• When faced with inefficiencies, consider whether outdated systems or unclear communication channels are to blame before investing in high-tech solutions.

A Final Thought

Problems, both big and small, often come with a degree of urgency that pushes us to act quickly. But acting quickly doesn't always mean acting effectively. Taking the time to pause, observe, and understand what’s really going on might feel slower at first, but it ultimately leads to lasting solutions that can save a great deal of time and frustration in the long run.

Whether it’s a puddle of water on a kitchen counter or a workplace spiraling into reactive chaos, chasing symptoms will only get you so far. By identifying the root cause, you can extinguish fires for good—not just contain them.

If solving problems feels like an uphill battle at your work, why not take a step back? What’s the water pooling in the corner that you haven’t noticed yet? Give yourself the time to find it, and you’ll set yourself up for success in ways you didn’t think possible. And hey, just like I learned with that little kitchen corner, sometimes the simplest changes make the biggest difference.

Understanding the problem is key to solving it