The Manager's Pocket Guide to Mega Thinking and Planning

Needs, Nouns, Verbs, and Conflict

Many arguments, conflicts, and misunderstandings are because common language uses “need” as a verb, such as “we need more time,” “we need more money,” “we need to economize,” “we need to outsource,” “we need to reorganize.” Thus, people unthinking or unknowingly jump into solutions before defining and justifying a problem. (A problem is a need chosen for reduction or elimination.)

By jumping into a solution—a means, methods, intervention, technique, or tool—by using “need” as a verb, the arguments can begin! We can argue almost endlessly about which means is better if we don’t define what gap in results a means will close. To reduce conflict as well as select solutions-in-search-of-problems, simply go back to ...