The Watch
Why the obvious solution is often wrong
Dear Loved One,
An old man named Williams sat at the corner of a busy street every day.
Every few minutes, he would stop people passing by and ask them what the time is.
Most people ignored him. Some got annoyed. A few stopped, told him the time, and kept walking.
Bella worked across the street. Watching the way people acted towards Williams, driven by sympathy, she decided that she needed to do something to make life better for him.
The next day, Bella walked up to Williams with a watch. He was so happy. He asked her to wrap it around his wrist.
The next statement from Williams shocked Bella – he stretched his hand further and said: “Please can you tell me the time on the watch?” This was when Bella discovered that Williams is blind.
In her mind, Williams’ problem was dependence on other people to know what the time is. The solution seemed obvious… Get him a watch.
If we reflect deeply on this, did Bella really make life easier for Williams? I don’t think so.
If we reflect further, who knows, maybe stopping people to ask for time is the only human interaction this lonely man has all through his day and this was not a problem he wanted a solution for.
King Solomon wrote: “The purposes of a person’s heart are deep waters, but one who has insight draws them out.” (Proverbs 20:5)
Deep waters. Not surface ripples.
Most of us are solving surface problems. We see the ripple and think we’ve found the source. We treat symptoms and wonder why nothing changes.
Your team has low morale.
Solution: Team building event.
But what if the real problem is they don’t trust leadership?
Your marriage feels distant.
Solution: Date nights.
But what if the real problem is you stopped listening years ago?
Your business isn’t growing.
Solution: Better marketing.
But what if the real problem is you’re solving the wrong problem for the wrong people?
We’re handing out watches to blind men.
This week, before you jump to the next solution, stop.
Ask: “What’s the problem behind the problem?”
Dig deeper.
Have a great week!
Shalom,
Ayo Daniels