Warning: If you want to spend a little time trying to figure out the brainteaser for yourself , please don’t read any further.

If you don’t panic at the thought of mathematics, solving the brainteaser in this poster is really quite simple.  If line DE is 9.5″, then line AH would be 9.5″ and the diameter of the circle would be 19″.

However, to solve the puzzle you must filter out all the extraneous information.  That’s one of the leader’s jobs.  S/he must make judgments about what information is important and what is not.  One of the easier ways of practicing this skill is for the leader to think in terms of separating the “symptoms” from the “causes.”

As it’s been said in an earlier posting, seldom will someone bring you a cause when coming to you with a problem.  Most of the time they will bring you a symptom.  In fact I believe it’s safe to say that the problem a person first brings you is never the real problem.

Please notice that in two paragraphs earlier (and the title of this post) both the word “symptoms” and “problems” are plural.  That’s the other aspect of leadership that is quickly learned.  A leader mustn’t be looking for the problem, the cause, or the symptom.  A wise leader knows that to think in the singular is then to end up trying to find the solution which is must too simplistic for most problems a leader faces.  In fact looking for the solution is one of the better ways to miss the best solutions.

Categories: Listening

Tags: listening