Ask ' big picture questions ' in problem solving

12 July 2015 Sun 

(management tip) " Ask the Right Questions to Put Problems in Context !" 

Being too immersed in a problem makes it harder for you to see the overall context behind it, which can lead to you feeling stuck. 
To expand your view of the problem, try asking elevating questions.
 These types of questions raise broader issues and highlight the bigger picture. 
For example, you can ask, “Taking a step back, what are the larger issues?” 
or “Are we even addressing the right issue?” 
Using this approach, a discussion on issues like margin decline and decreasing customer satisfaction could turn into a broader discussion of corporate strategy through an elevating question like,
 “Instead of talking about these issues separately, what are the larger trends we should be concerned about? How do they all tie together ? 

These questions take you to a higher playing field where you can better see connections between individual problems.