Problem oriented versus solution oriented thinking

[goulik]

There are two ways of examining and critiquing things in life. You can look at problems and talk about what should not be done or you can look at things and examine how you can make things better. One way of looking at things finds lots of problems that need fixing. The other way looks at how to improve things whether there are problems or not. When I was young, I was told to focus not on the problems but to focus on the solutions. Problems can wear you down and make you feel bad about things. Solutions give you hope and help you make the world a better place. I was told "Don't focus on the negative, focus on the positives and how to make it better."

 

This mindset has helped me a lot in life. It helps keep my motivation and morale up as I face obstacles. It has also made me someone others come to when they have problems. I don't get down on them for their mistakes but I help them see ways of improving the situation in the short term and in the long term. I have found I just don't like being around the problem oriented people because they just drag my morale down. I spend all this time helping them find solutions and they never move on to solving problems because they are just mired in their own negativity.

 

When it comes to fandom, I see no point in focusing on the problems of a team. All teams have problems and the probability of my team winning in any given season is 1 out of approximately 30 (depending on the league) I enjoy baseball because you can watch the process of trying to build a team through all the minor leagues. I become a fan of the players and enjoy watching them play. any time my team wins more than it loses is a good year because I got to watch more wins than losses.

 

Having said that, I also like to examine the solutions that could lead to a World Series. Is the solution from within or from outside. Do we have enough depth at a position to trade for needs and are there other teams with depth and needs that are the opposite of us so as to facilitate that trade? That is always hard to find. I see no reason to rag on players or management. Focusing on weaknesses doesnt help. But are there improvements out there and how do we realistically get ahold of those improvements.

 

I have enjoyed the off season moves of the wolves and wild recently and hope the Vikings have shored up that O-Line. What are the viable solutions for the Twins? Unfortunately, as badly as we want a trade now, the other teams are not going to move before the end of the month without being blown away. Do we mortgage the future for a 500 team this year or do we let the slow build finish its evolution with an eye for next year. Everyone is sick of waiting for next year but hey, were not losing 100, were not losing 90, there is a chance we wont lose 80...Im enjoying the process, the wins, Sano hitting bombs, Buxton chasing down fly balls, Berrios turning into what we hoped and the dream that Mejia might be better than we hoped for out of last years trade. Im enjoying some of the solutions we have already found and I am hoping to see a couple more by the end of the month.

[DocBauer]

Absolutely LOVE this post! More to add, but busy with the holiday, and will comment more later, but had to take a moment to say I feel the exact same way. Awesome!

[Thrylos]

Guess I am a bit lost.   If you want to find solutions, you need to identify problems, no?  Otherwise, you might just find "solutions" for non-problems.

 

In other words, if you want to find a solution to get to the World Series, you need to identify what prevents a team from getting there (i.e. a "problem") and then solve it....

[Rosterman]

But baseball is often a conflict between NOW vs. MAYBE NEXT YEAR. Every team goes thru year-to-year rebuilding, unless the farm system is truly glorious and you sign the right free agents for the correct amount of money over the perfect number of years. It may get you to the playoffs or World Series (see Braves, in the past Oakland, or the Yankees who could always eat DL salary and buy a player whenever they saw the need).

 

If playing .500 ball is going to get you into the playoffs, teams are willing to take the chance more often than not. They lose some prospects, but there are 140 sitting in the wings and each season, at most, 1-2 make the 25-man fulltime and another 4-6 cycle thru and may have a smidgen of time with the Big League Club before going elsewhere or nowhere. Every season you have 20 or so top flight players that are looking for top dollar, and another 150-200 looking for a job, and even more hoping to get that one more chance and get a contract for another season beyond.

 

What do the Twins need to get to the playoffs, or better yet the World Series? First, the division has to remain as tight and lowend as it currently is. They need at least one more starter who will keep them in the game by giving up 4 runs or less in a game. They need to evaluate their minor league bullpens and hope there are arms that will replace tired arms as the team moves into September. We are already seeing some regression to go with the arms just hanging on by a thread.

 

Do they need a consistent line-up with the offense playing proper roles in the batting order? Right now, everyone pretty much gets a hit in a game, but do they move runners, can they take a walk, can they get multiple hits combined with others doing the same? And continue to perform in the field. That is the question mark hanging over the lineup, which really has no one pushing them for jobs from the high minors this season. But their on-field jobs are still theirs to keep...or lose.

 

I'm not sure what the longterm goals are of the team...yet. New management needs to have this full season to evaluate and figure out who will be handling player development from trainers to coaches to the major league field staff. And with that can come jettisoning some players who have held too closely to old regime roles, and plugs being made because they are out there as the team treads water.

 

But what, can you tell me, is the Twins promotional line for 2017? "Watch Us Win on the Road, but lose at Home." "Players Who Might Be Stars, But Can You name the starting lineup?" "But a standing-room only ticket in a Stadium full of 10,000 empty seats?" "Can You Get As Excited When the Team Wins as you can about $1 Dog Night?"

 

In baseball, you never know. Look at the 1987 Twins as an example. Probably a weaker  Only two solid starters. A pretty crappy bullpen and a hoard of others run up for a handful of games. One superstar with the bat, a Big Guy at first, and everyone else holding their own, but not really shining as a line-up, but often as individuals in games. The plus, a weak division. Right now, in order to WIN the division, the Twins have to match up starter-to-starter with the Indians. That's pretty much it. And you hope your bright lights keep winning series, but even Ervin and Jose can falter, at times.

 

Do you trade away the future if the right piece/s come available? Would going to the playoffs give us a recognizable boost in a market that will be football crazy all winter and into February? Can you spend the money to keep any momentum going to 2018 and beyond?

 

[DocBauer]

When this season began, there was a debate as to whether or not it could win 80 games. Seems to me the bets were pretty much under. Warts and all, this is an above .500 team at the halfway mark built on a player roster of a few quality veterans and a load of talented 28 and younger players. Many of whom are far younger. And despite pitching concerns, no surprise there, there are still some nice pieces to work with.

 

Despite the euphoria to have a winning and competitive team in 2017, and all the angst of losing teams for several season's, excluding 2015, this season was still about the rebuild and evaluation from the top down in the entire system. Despite some misgivings about roster construction, mostly the bullpen, did anyone really expect the new FO to wave a magic wand 4 months and construct a WS team?

 

Right now, this is a winning team with an apparently better analytics presence and defense. It's is a team, as stated, built on some quality veteran players and a host of young and mostly young positional players, many of whom are still developing toward what they will become.

 

Once again, the biggest obstacle is pitching. The injury to May, IMO, hurt a lot. Various injuries to the pen have also hurt. But even so, there are several young arms just about ready to break through, especially on the pen side. There are 3-4 arms that could help the rotation by the end of the year, or sometime next year at this time if not before.

 

I think the greatest debate for our team currently is, do we trade talented young players and/or prospects for at least one quality arm? Or do we exercise addition patience...with hope for this season and what we have in house now...and look to FA, maybe, in the next off season, and bide additional time for those talented rotational and bullpen arms?

 

I'm hoping for the latter, but am OK with the former as long as it doesn't cut/cost too deeply.

[David HK]

I really liked this post and the comments.  I feel a little sheepish, though---

 

I originally gave it a click because I misread the headline at first quick glance--

 

"Problem oriented verses solution oriented DRinking" 

 

Don't know which of those I prefer, to be honest....

[HitInAPinch]

"...did anyone really expect the new FO to wave a magic wand 4 months and construct a WS team?

 

Oh, they have it!  The new front office is just saving that wand until they get a new top hat.  And a rabbit.

[Twinfan & Dad]

I am 100 percent in agreement with this post. We are not going to be World Series Champs this year but we are winning more games and our young players are getting valuable experience. In years past think how Terry Ryan would treat our young guys like a yo-yo between AAA and the big club. Playing in fear, pressing to produce or know they will be sent down or call our young guys up and have them sit. Unfortunately with the May injury along with other young pitchers Falvey has had to decide on Plan B,C,D etc as one by one they have been bit by the injury bug. Enjoy the process Twins fans we are finally heading in the right direction.

[Richie the Rally Goat]

I do not believe there are only two ways to analyze a situation. There are many ways to look at situations and sometimes it's ok point out flaws as a to-do list.

 

I always prefer the here's the issue: here's my proposed solution approach.

[spinowner]

"If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate."

-Steven Wright

[Craig Arko]

 

"If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate."

-Steven Wright

The sediment at the bottom of the glass...

[Sssuperdave]

 

Guess I am a bit lost.   If you want to find solutions, you need to identify problems, no?  Otherwise, you might just find "solutions" for non-problems.

 

In other words, if you want to find a solution to get to the World Series, you need to identify what prevents a team from getting there (i.e. a "problem") and then solve it....

 

I think the confusion boils down to what words are used. Taking the words "problem" and "solution" in a logical and literal way, you can't really have a solution without a problem to solve, which I think is another way of saying what you just said. Perhaps the original post would make more sense if the word "solution" were replaced with "innovation." But "problem oriented vs innovation oriented thinking" doesn't roll off the tongue like "problem oriented vs solution oriented thinking."

 

The point here is that it is much more energizing and effective to focus on how to make things better than to focus on finding problems. For example, it could be that the net benefit (i.e. benefit minus cost, or wins minus cost in baseball terms) of making a relative strength even stronger is higher than the net benefit of reducing a weakness. This wouldn't be identified by a thought process that only searches for problems and how to fix them.

[goulik]

I always prefer the here's the issue: here's my proposed solution approach.

Exactly. Don't stay stuck on the problem and complain about what's wrong or just complain about other people's solutions because they are not good enough, look at what can be done! What are the best short term and long term options.

 

Do we have a better option than Mejia? No? Then let's let the rookie develop and accept the ups and downs of a rookie pitcher and hope he becomes a solid number three and dream that maybe he could even be a two.

 

Do we have a better solution than Buxton in center? No? Then let's accept that he's not hitting well, enjoy the defense and chaos when he does get on base and hope he figures out how to hit MLB pitching over time like he did at every other level.

 

Is Santiago the best we got to pitch fourth? Yep... Ok, hopefully down the road we can move him down to fifth in the rotation. Come on Gibson, you can do it!!

 

Can't we just make a trade? Not without a trading partner and as we learned last winter with Dozier, how we value people and what we on TD think are fair trades don't always jive with opposing GMs opinions of our players worth. We will learn more in three weeks. I will be surprised if any trades happen with our club before then.

[The Wise One]

 

Guess I am a bit lost.   If you want to find solutions, you need to identify problems, no?  Otherwise, you might just find "solutions" for non-problems.

 

In other words, if you want to find a solution to get to the World Series, you need to identify what prevents a team from getting there (i.e. a "problem") and then solve it....

Did you miss the part on producing viable solutions.  While the final outcome may be world series victories  there is no set way to win  the world series except have it be the 1950's and have the Kansas City A's be  your major league farm team. While a team's shortcomings may be a problem worthy of finding solutions there is plenty on the board like the constants complaints about previous GMs, that offer nothing towards a goal of the world series victories.

[Mike Sixel]

What a straw man to say anyone expected a WS contender in 4 months. Some of us expected improvement thru trade or free agency.....

[Thrylos]

 

I think the confusion boils down to what words are used. Taking the words "problem" and "solution" in a logical and literal way, you can't really have a solution without a problem to solve, which I think is another way of saying what you just said. Perhaps the original post would make more sense if the word "solution" were replaced with "innovation." But "problem oriented vs innovation oriented thinking" doesn't roll off the tongue like "problem oriented vs solution oriented thinking."

 

The point here is that it is much more energizing and effective to focus on how to make things better than to focus on finding problems. For example, it could be that the net benefit (i.e. benefit minus cost, or wins minus cost in baseball terms) of making a relative strength even stronger is higher than the net benefit of reducing a weakness. This wouldn't be identified by a thought process that only searches for problems and how to fix them.

 

Innovation for the sake of innovation leads to playing short stops, catchers and third basemen at the outfield.  The key here is to: have a goal that should be obvious to everyone in the organization and the fans (e.g. win the world series), a plan to get there and a time table to get there. 

 

The first step to create a plan is to compare the present state with the future state and do a gap analysis. And then feel free to be innovative in filling these gaps (but please not with Sano at the OF) long term according the plan.  (A lot of what 2017 has been for apparently for Falvine to assess the present state)

 

If you prefer "Gaps" to "problems", I am fine with it.  But if you don't know what you don't know and you need to know, you are not going very far.

 

[Doomtints]

Management should absolutely focus on problems.  Managers should then work together to propose solutions. Once a solution is agreed upon, communication with the team should only be about the solutions. The players should, then, only be hearing about how to improve (the "solutions.")

 

One can't pick one or the other when it comes to problems v. solutions, but every person has a different role in the workflow.

 

Note that every worker/player is different. Some people respond well to having problems called out so they know exactly what they are trying to fix.  Molitor's job is to figure out which approach works.  For most of the young guys, the solution approach is probably better.  It's certainly what should be tried first.

[Richie the Rally Goat]

Innovation for the sake of innovation leads to playing short stops, catchers and third basemen at the outfield. The key here is to: have a goal that should be obvious to everyone in the organization and the fans (e.g. win the world series), a plan to get there and a time table to get there.

 

The first step to create a plan is to compare the present state with the future state and do a gap analysis. And then feel free to be innovative in filling these gaps (but please not with Sano at the OF) long term according the plan. (A lot of what 2017 has been for apparently for Falvine to assess the present state)

 

If you prefer "Gaps" to "problems", I am fine with it. But if you don't know what you don't know and you need to know, you are not going very far.

ahh the Euphemisms! Nothing so invigorating as a Gap/Fit analysis where we tip toe around the Issue to find Best Practices and Innovative Resources.

 

It's just like The Office and my office!

[Jerr]

Glad I just found this thread today!!! Great take and great thinking and I am believing our new front office, does just this to solve and get that next World Series in MINNESOTA!!!!

Baseball is always patience, which makes it well worth the result, when it pays off in those wins.

[Brandon]

We just signed our starting pitcher, Colon, i think it would help to acquire a reliever which wont cost much and then go with what we have. I do think we can make the playoffs. How far we go we cant determine till then. But we still need to win to get to the playoffs and a little outside help builds morale.

[ewen21]

 

Guess I am a bit lost.   If you want to find solutions, you need to identify problems, no?  Otherwise, you might just find "solutions" for non-problems.

 

In other words, if you want to find a solution to get to the World Series, you need to identify what prevents a team from getting there (i.e. a "problem") and then solve it....

I don't know what problems we are solving sitting at our computers.  It is nice to have what we think are intelligent discussions, but this is only BASEBALL.  Not a real big deal.

 

I watch the team at my own peril.  I'm in it for the long haul.  If things go wrong I have no trouble with fans who want to rag on the organization because, quite frankly, when you come in last place 5 out of the last 6 years after building a new stadium it is kind of warranted.  Plus, I see humor in rants.  When someone rants on this team I don't see any angry person who hates life.  I see a fan simply venting and a lot of times I can relate.  Again, it is just BASEBALL.  We aren't doing anything all that important here.

 

Whatever.  I guess some people like chocolate, some like vanilla.

 

I like Rocky Road