Before solving the problem, ask this one question

The power of reflection

Have you ever taken a personality test or gone through a 360 review, only to glance at the report and move on? Maybe you nodded at the results, but did they really change anything for you? What if the real value isn’t in the report itself but in the time you take to reflect on it?

Just like collecting data doesn’t make a difference unless you take the time to truly understand it, these tools only work if we pause to think. So, what if instead of rushing to conclusions, we gave ourselves permission to explore? What might we uncover that we hadn’t seen before?

So, what’s the question to ask?

Before you jump into problem-solving, try asking yourself:

What if the obvious solution isn’t the best one? What if there’s another angle, a deeper issue, or an opportunity hidden just out of sight? Could a different approach lead to something even better?

Why curiosity matters

Think about the last time you made a quick decision – did it really solve the issue? Or did you find yourself returning to the same problem later? What would have happened if you had spent just a little more time exploring first?

At Curious Creator, we believe in staying with the question a little longer. Not to overthink, but to make sure we’re solving the right problem. Have you ever noticed how often we rush past the why in search of the how? What if we flipped that around?

The power of pausing

Have you ever sat in a retrospective that felt like a checklist? Listing issues, jumping straight to solutions, and moving on – does that really work? What if, instead, we asked, What else is possible? What if we spent a little more time exploring why those issues keep coming up?

By combining structured tools like retrospectives with real reflection, we create space for deeper learning. What would change if we made curiosity a habit in our teams and in ourselves?

Beyond just ticking boxes

We live in a world driven by instant gratification – gamification in apps, the thrill of collecting likes on social media, and the satisfaction of ticking a box on our to-do list. It feels good to complete a task, to see immediate results. But does that always mean we’re making meaningful progress?

This mindset seeps into our workplaces too. If we only reward ticking boxes and quick fixes, we train ourselves and our teams to focus on completing tasks rather than exploring possibilities. As leaders, we need to be mindful of this. If we don’t actively encourage curiosity, we risk creating teams that check off tasks instead of thinking critically and creatively. What do you reward?

Finding the right balance

Taking time to explore a problem a bit more might feel like a delay, but it actually saves time in the long run. Rushing in with half the picture leads to wasted energy, frustration, and rework. Slowing down at the start means fewer missteps, better outcomes, and more motivated individuals and teams.

That said, there’s also a risk in staying in the exploratory phase for too long. If we never move past wondering what else is possible?, we risk analysis paralysis – overthinking and delaying action. It’s all about balance.

In my experience, the more common challenge is rushing into solutions too quickly rather than overexploring. But when analysis paralysis does happen, it’s often driven by other factors such as fear of failure, judgment, or making the wrong choice, a lack of psychological safety that makes people hesitant to commit, perfectionism that leads to endless refining, or simply having unlimited resources and no urgency, causing decisions to drift in endless debate. Sometimes, the issue is sheer complexity – where no one has the full picture, leaving teams stuck in legacy systems and outdated processes, caught in endless loops with no clear way forward.

When that happens, it’s easy to stay stuck. But the way forward doesn’t have to be complicated. Sometimes, all it takes is a pause – a moment to step back, get curious and shift perspective.

So next time you catch yourself jumping straight into solution mode, take a breath. Pause for a moment. Grab a colleague, friend, call your coach or just sit with yourself and ask: What else is possible?

Would it change the way you approach challenges? Would it lead to solutions that excite you, that feel meaningful, that create a real difference? Would it motivate your team, spark their imagination, and give them a sense of purpose – to make an impact that truly matters?

Simply be curious

Curiosity isn’t something we switch on overnight – it’s something we practise. What if we made space for it? What if we trained ourselves to pause before reacting? To ask questions instead of jumping to answers?

Curious Creator exists to help individuals, leaders, and teams do exactly that. Imagine what would be possible if we all made curiosity a daily habit. What kind of impact could we create then?

Don’t forget the book Simply be curious, which is all about raising the curiosity bar and creating impact that matters. Order it here.

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