Super Problem Solvers

Some criteria for selection

The following criteria may help you decide whether a particular candidate qualifies for inclusion as a Super Problem Solver for the purposes of this research:

  • They are typically brought in only after others have stumbled.
  • They are widely considered as "special" or "unusual" in their ability to unravel a complex situation.
  • Their methods are seemingly more intuitive or unconscious than analytical.
  • If questioned, they have trouble explaining how they do what they do.
  • If observed carefully, there is no obvious pattern or logic to their strategy.
  • They seem to enjoy situations that are inordinately complex, that have perplexed others, or that have resisted solution.
  • They have little tolerance for "working out the details"; they often want to move on quickly as soon as the solution has been identified.

There are some exclusion criteria that disqualify someone from being a candidate:

  • The person is a superb facilitator who can elicit and capture the opinions of others, so they are a great help in a problem situation although they contribute little to the actual understanding of the problem.
  • The person is a subject matter expert who simply knows more than anyone else about the topic.