The Peculiar Flight of the Gossamer Condor

Are you solving the right problem?

Happy Thursday, y’all! So today let’s talk a bit about problem solving. In business, we often rely on ‘best practices’ or what everyone else is doing when looking to solve problems, especially complex ones.

Sometimes, you can make breakthroughs by avoiding the herd, not following it.

A consultant was hired by a property company in Detroit to help it with its condominium sales. The condos were marketed to retired couples who were looking to downsize from their larger homes that they had outgrown, into a smaller condo for their retirement years. The owner had consulted with focus groups and installed features that retirees had indicated they wanted in a condo.

But sales were lagging. The condos were attracting attention and visits, but few were willing to commit to the move. It was obvious that something was holding back interested couples from committing. The consultant decided to