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19 Aug 2013

Why Problems Occur (Alert #5): Big over Small

This entry is part 6 of 9 in the series Why Problems Occur

People prefer big to small

People prefer big, grand solutions to small ones. They prefer to make a splash rather than a ripple.

Focusing on the big rather than small, is another alert I heed as a problem identifier. This occurs when people apply overarching solutions rather than surgically specific ones, declaring the forest a problem rather than specific trees.

Even though focusing on the forest is often easier, it differs from the Easy-Difficult Alert in that much of the Big-Small Alert is a function of personality; some don’t have the mindset or temperament to dive into the specifics of a situation. Just as various cameras varying ranges of resolutions, people see problems – and life – through varying resolutions. Also, politically, the big might become important to show decisive, sweeping actions. Reorganizations are a frequent example.

Here are some examples of over focus on the big causing problems in the right circumstances:

In simple terms, we often experience the Big-Small Alert when we don’t explore and incorporate details well. So, when we find ourselves thinking, “Devil’s in the details,” problems are often lurking.

 

Series Navigation<< Why Problems Occur (Alert #4): Known over UnknownWhy Problems Occur (Alert #6): Same over Unique >>

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