Recognizing a Problem Study Guide We are continually faced with
a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as
insoluble problems. John W. Gardner, American politician, former
Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare (1912–2002) If you
want to begin to think critically so you can solve problems, you
first have to recognize that there is a problem and decide its
importance or severity. This lesson focuses on how to do just
that! We all face problems every day. Some are simple, like
running low on gas in your car, and take a short period of time
to solve. Others are complex and demand more time and thought.
For example, someone's boss might ask him or her to figure out
why the company's latest sales pitch to the most important
client failed, and come up with a new one. Once you know you
have a problem, you need to prioritize—does the problem demand
immediate attention, or can it wait until you are finished
working on something else? If there's more than one problem, you
need to rank them in order o