Episode Details

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In this episode, Jen & Todd talk about problem-solving.  

Two big factors we see are the Dunning-Kruger effect and confirmation bias.

Confirmation bias is when we look for solutions that support or favor how we want things to be and not necessarily what's best.

Dunning-Kruger effect. 

• Humans judge themselves to be better than other humans to a degree that violates the laws of math. 
• Example: 88% of drivers rate themselves above average driving skills. Mathematically this doesn't work.
• Those with the least ability are often the most likely to overrate their skills by the greatest extent. 
• We often rate ourselves closer to full ability than actual experts do.
• People with moderate experience have less confidence. They know enough to know how much they don’t know. 
• Experts tend to be aware of how knowledgeable they are. But they make a different mistake. They assume everyone else is too. 

So how do we know where we are?

• Ask people.
• Keep learning. The more knowledge you have, the less likely you are to have holes in your knowledge. 
• We tend to add complexity to problems.
• One thing we need to improve is recognizing a problem before attempting to solve it. 

Habits

• Solving small problems frequently gives us a shot at solving large problems when they come up.
• Ask: have we already dealt with this?  How did it turn out?  Why didn't we systematize it?
• Solve the smallest parts of big problems first.
• Check your attitude: avoid focusing on the negative and create solutions.
• Who did something wrong is irrelevant while you're in the process of solving a problem.
• Get EVERYTHING on paper.  
• Have data. Don’t rely just on your emotions. You really do need both. 

A simple 6-step problem-solving system. 

1. define 
2. collect info (what is happening?)
3. analyze (why is this happening?)
4. plan & action
5. evaluate (did it work?)
6. standardize (make it simple for others)
7. BONUS: evaluate your process from steps 1 through 6 and take everything you can

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