James William Awad on How to Solve Big Problems
There is no lack of big problems that need to be solved. Between climate change, divided societies, and the crisis of trust in all sorts of authority, anyone who’d like to try their hand at doing something noble for the world can take their pick. Every one of those issues can be further broken down into smaller issues, creating an endless list of far-reaching problems that should eventually get their solutions.
For James William Awad, the problem he decided to tackle was how businesses operate. As a young inquisitive person with a knack for figuring out solutions to problems, James came up with the idea he would eventually shape into his decentralized concept for running a business. Eventually, he founded TripleOne, the company he uses to grow decentralized businesses and prove to the world that his idea works.
Starting Small
“I often say that the best thing about TripleOne is that so many people get to make business decisions, and then get rewarded based on their commitment and input,” says James William Awad. “The classic business model isn’t open enough to let more people participate in making big decisions. I wanted to create an innovative solution that will bring more people to the table.”
Increasing employee or stakeholder participation is a worthy enough goal, but anyone looking to innovate a solution for a problem doesn’t have to start with such a big or overarching goal. Big problems often involve large systems that are hard to take in and analyze as a whole.
In those cases, the approach to analysis as well as creating the solution to the problem could be found in separating the big problems into smaller pieces. More manageable pieces are easier to tackle and if needed, delegate.
Connecting with Fellow Problem-Solvers
The thing about solving problems in a timely and effective manner is that sometimes it requires the work of more than one person. Working with a well-run team can be incredibly beneficial, even if it carries with it the possibility of communication issues or disagreement.
“The problems that require big and complex solutions have to be tackled by teams,” says James William Awad. “No single person is gifted with always having the perfect view of the problem, or all the skills needed to fix it, or the time and energy to do it on their own. That’s what having team members is for, to be a part of a whole that’s greater than the sum of its parts.”
Being Patient and Steadfast
Every journey that’s worth taking has the possibility of suffering from setbacks. Whether it’s a literal journey like a trip to the beach or a figurative journey like the one toward solving strict and stifling business structures, there might be obstacles along the way. This should be counted on.
When obstacles inevitably come, it’s important to remain steadfast and stay on course. If possible, it would be even better to find a way around them, but if that’s not an option, the problem-solver needs to dig in and persevere. The combination of patience to continue working despite slow progress and the ability to not lose any of the enthusiasm is particularly important. Without it, who knows how far back humanity would be today.
