More Than One Right Answer with Dewitt Jones

Available in French.

Why is it important to find more than one right answer? How can it help you? How can it help your organization?

Those are great questions, especially when your first answer is a good one. What is the value in finding another right answer if you already have one that will work, one that you’ve had success with before, or one that you were able to come up with quickly? There certainly are a lot of reasons to stick with the first answer; however, as the program discusses, it is also extremely worthwhile to work to uncover other options.

Sometimes, your first answer is, in fact, the best one. Yet it is worth the time to consider multiple solutions. This ensures that you are providing yourself and your organization with the best possible options to create success.

While most people understand the value in finding more than one right answer, making it happen is another story. It is possible that there are many factors impeding your ability to not only use, but even find, creative, new answers. It could be your company culture or policy, time or budget limitations, aversion to change, group-think mentality, or loss of passion for what you do.

In many circumstances, however, the benefit of finding new solutions and innovations outweighs the limitations. So how can you find that next right answer, especially if you work in a culture that is not supportive of new ideas or change?

You can change your attitude. You can start to view problems not as a chores or tasks, but instead, as opportunities to use your creativity and uncover solutions that will benefit your organization. You can also collaborate with team members, and if possible, with individuals outside of your team to invite diversity of thought.

When you look at a problem as an opportunity, you open yourself up to a multitude of new ideas. When you take the time to find them, these opportunities may provide amazing results for you and your organization.