Solving problems is an art. There is a precision that is required to direct focused resolve toward a well defined problem. Not all leaders are artists in that regard.
In the hands of a master problem solver, a problem is a blank canvas to which a multitude of artful strokes are applied. A vision of what will unfold is keenly engraved in the artist's mind. The problem is clearly in mind, well understood, before a series of orchestrated applications are applied to reveal a solution. With a steady hand and precise movements, the emerging solution is a work of art.
In my many years of leadership I have witnessed the unartful style of problem solving in which the leader/artist stands back from the canvas and sprays misdirected, imprecise solutions in an effort to simply cover the problem with a coat of solutions. Spray and hope, is the unartful approach, hoping that something in the mix of imprecise solutions will cover the problem. This school of artistry relies on the just do something camp of leadership thinking whereby no attempt is made to define the problem with the necessary precision. Simply spray and hope.
The artistry of problem solving requires energy, money and planning. An artful problem solver acts as a good steward of organizational resources by reflecting on the problem to select a precise and thereby efficient solution. That precise approach to solving problems begins with elegant questions that appropriately define what the solution must accomplish.
What is the root cause of the problem?
Who are the stakeholders in the cause and the solution?
What solutions have failed in the past?
Who benefits from ignoring the problem?
How is the problem a threat to the mission of the organization?
Artful questions eliminate a culture of just do something. Solutions are thoughtful. Assumptions are questioned. Action for the sake of just doing something is an expensive and ineffective strategy.
The artful leader is a student of the solution. They track the effectiveness of solutions. They debrief with the involved team to understand what can be improved. They apply the strokes of a master painter in an artful way that matches solutions to problems with precision and control.