Stop Guessing: The 9 Behaviors of Great Problem Solvers

Solving complex problems is very difficult and usually can’t be done by simply brainstorming. Readers will learn how to successfully apply nine behaviors in a systematic and methodical way to solve any problem.

Become the greatest problem solver you can be!

Bad problem solving costs individuals and society incalculable amounts of time, money, and sanity. In this book Nat Greene—who's been solving hard problems professionally for over twenty years—shares nine behaviors anyone can adopt to find solutions to even the most seemingly intractable problems.

The problem with most problem solving, Greene says, is that it's not problem solving at all: it's guessing. We have an idea of what might work and we try it out. If that doesn't work, we try something else. And so on. It's inefficient at best, and with really hard problems there are simply too many variables for guessing to work. Greene shows you how to adopt the behaviors great problem solvers use to arrive at solutions efficiently—without guessing. He illustrates them with examples ranging from everyday issues like fixing a malfunctioning garage door to stopping frequent breakdowns at a chemical plant (saving millions of dollars) to addressing the scourge of poverty in sub-Saharan Africa. So stop guessing and start solving today!

About the Author

Nat Greene is a co-founder and CEO of the consulting firm Stroud International. He has practiced technical problem solving as a consultant for eighteen years, solving dozens of impossible technical problems for over fifty clients on five continents.

Nat is a business leader, author, and champion of great problem-solving. He helps smart people make radically better decisions and all his activities and interests are tied to this mission. Nat helped found and run Stroud international and is the author of two books. Wedged is a look into some of the drivers behind political dysfunction in the US and Stop Guessing explores the behaviors of great problem-solvers.

Nat's upbringing ingrained an intense drive to help people develop an Abundant Thinking mindset, understanding that more is always possible. Nat was born and raised in Hong Kong, during a period of immense growth in social mobility, influenced by not only dreamers but also by those looking to push educational and professional boundaries. His father, a professor of material science, taught him about problem-solving at a young age by taking him around the city and helping him to explore what was broken and why.

Nat remains inspired by the belief that anything is possible and has chosen to dedicate his life to productively challenging the conventional limits of the status quo. He takes an approach that is hands-on, data-driven, and follows a rigorous process to break constraints. He always delivers results; a model Stroud follows. Nat's curiosity, determination, and passion extends beyond his work to every corner of his life. He enjoys spending time with his family, and learns a great deal from his children, who are not bound by the same pre-conceived notions and experiences that constrain many adults. Nat, his wife, and four children reside in Marblehead, Massachusetts by the ocean, a symbol of infinite possibility that inspires him.

Nat has a Masters of Engineering from Oxford University and studied design, manufacturing and management at Cambridge University, in addition to executive education coursework in Harvard Business School's Owner/President Management program."