This is a concise, well structured book which deep dives on the concept of reframing.

Having the right frame can help us find more effective solutions and realize better outcomes, but we often take the initial frame as a given. Reframing is the process of exploring the current frame and breaking out of it to find new frames. Once a problem has been reframed, then the problem can be analyzed from the perspective of the new frame(s).

It can be hard to resist the urge to jump straight to action. However, taking time to reframe the problem can help ensure the right problem is solved in the first place. In the long run, this saves time, especially since reframing need not take long. Short, frequent reframing exercises are more valuable than rare, long reframing exercises.

Framing is the process of asking what problem you are trying to solve. This is an important step. Before we can reframe, we need to be able to identify the type of problem, write a short problem statement using full sentences, and identify stakeholders. Then, we can ask ourselves: Is the problem statement true? Are there simple self-imposed limitations? Is a solution baked into the framing? Is the problem clear? With whom is the problem located? Are there strong emotions involved? False trade-offs? Asking these questions will help you think about the problem differently.

Reframing asks if there is a different way of thinking about the problem. The meat of the book goes into detail about ways to reframe. These include: Look outside the frame to see what you're missing. Rethink the goal to see if there's a better objective to pursue. Examine the bright spots — areas where the problem does not occur — and learn from them. Look in the mirror to understand your own role in creating the problem. Take the perspective of others involved in the problem.

Once you have reframed the problem, it is time to move forward. However, this does not mean jumping directly to action. The first step is to validate both the problem statement and the reframing. You can do this by describing the solution to stakeholders, describing it to outsiders, devising a hard test, and if it's low cost and low risk, just implement part of the solution see if it gets traction. As you implement a solution, you will learn more, so also schedule your next opportunity to reframe.

The book ends with a couple of chapters on how to handle tactical challenges around reframing including having too many framings to explore, identifying unknown causes of a problem, breaking out of silos, resistance to reframing, and denial of a particular aspect of the problem.

Overall, this book is useful for anyone who ever needs to solve problems or persuade others. ( )