General Motors, said, "A problem well stated is a
problem half solved."
(2) WRITE DOWN EXACTLY WHAT ARE THE
CAUSES OF THE PROBLEM. Get the facts. Get
ALL the facts. Be sure the facts are exact, clear,
objective and impartial-not selected to bolster some
preconceived opinion. Especially, if you do have a
preconceived opinion, be sure that you get all the facts
that do NOT support your pre-judgment, as well as
those which do. Herbert Hawkes of Columbia Uni-
versity taught, "Half the worry in the world is caused
by people trying to make decisions before they have
sufficient knowledge on which to base a decision. If
a man will devote his time to securing knowledge in
an impartial, objective way, his worries will usually
evaporate in the light of knowledge." So get the facts.
Be sure you know the exact causes of the problem
before you try to solve it.
(3) WRITE DOWN EVERY POSSIBLE EFFEC-
TIVE SOLUTION. Be sure each possible solution of
your problem is the impartial result of "trying the
case" from both sides by first pretending you are the
lawyer trying the case FOR the solution, then imagin-
ing you are the lawyer trying the case AGAINST the
solution. Then if the solution still appears to be effec-
tive, include it in your list.
(4) DECIDE DEFINITELY WHICH SOLUTION
TO PUT INTO EFFECT. If you have carefully
analyzed the pros and cons of each solution as recom-
mended in the preceding paragraph (3), then your