When there is a large-scale and wide-ranging prob­lem that needs a solu­tion, we shouldn’t attempt to solve it with an equally large solu­tion but instead attempt to break the issue down and find out­ly­ing suc­cesses to replicate.

That’s the wis­dom of Dan and Chip Heath–authors of Made to Stick and Switch–say­ing that to solve com­plex prob­lems we should change our way of think­ing to ‘bright-spot’ analy­sis and attempt to scale small suc­cesses.

That’s the first step to fix­ing every­thing from addic­tion to cor­po­rate malaise to mal­nu­tri­tion. A prob­lem may look hope­lessly com­plex. But there’s a game plan that can yield move­ment on even the tough­est issues. And it starts with locat­ing a bright spot — a ray of hope. […]

Our ratio­nal brain has a prob­lem focus when it needs a solu­tion focus. If you are a man­ager, ask your­self, What is the ratio of the time you spend solv­ing prob­lems ver­sus scal­ing successes?

We need to switch from archae­o­log­i­cal prob­lem solv­ing to bright-spot evan­ge­liz­ing. […] Even in fail­ure there is success. […]

These flashes of suc­cess, these bright spots, can pro­vide our road map for action — and the hope that change is possible.

via @Ando_F