The Problem Tree

the Joshua tree grows in fiercely adverse conditions. U2 saw it as a symbol of faith and hope in the midst of aridity. The tree was named, by early Mormon settlers, after the Old Testament prophet Joshua, as its branches reminded them of Joshua raising his arms to pray.

Inside of every problem lies an opportunity. Every problem has in it the seeds of its Solution.

A popular definition of Problem is: A situation that is unsatisfactory and causes difficulties for people.

What do you do when you are in the situation that is unsatisfactory and causes difficulties for yourself?

Some times your situation could cause difficulties to people who may be influenced by yourself too.

You wish: ‘please, Mr. Cheshire Cat… help me out of here’.

“Hello there…, Stuck, and looking for a way out…?” ‘There he is – Mr. Cheshire Cat.’

‘How do I get out of this situation?’ you ask.

“hmmm…” The Cat started thinking, his famous grin intact. “This fellow is lost, and he is asking for directions to go get out of here; go somewhere.” Cat figured out. “but how and why did he get here, in this situation, in the first place?” The Cat’s brain goes on overdrive.

You see, the Cat is doing a Root-Cause Analysis. He is analyzing the situation. He is trying to identify the major problem and its main causal relationships. 

The Cat is visualizing a graphical arrangement of problems differentiated according to ‘causes’ and ‘effects,’ joined by a core, or focal, problem.

What emerges in the Cat’s mind is the picture of a tree.

The tree has its trunk and branches with leaves; above ground, and roots; underground.

On the level, in the middle, is its CORE, where the focal point is – the Core of the Problem. Why you are here and how it got you where you are! What is the CAUSE, and what is its EFFECT.

The Cat opens his eyes and goes: “Alice, you see, a ‘problem’ is never static. It seldom, if ever, is the same for different people at different times. It is more a device to broaden thinking than it is a definitive determinant.

For example, ‘lack of sufficient water’ could either be a Cause or an Effect, depending on the situation and people who are there. Where you want to go and how. Your Objectives and how you go about, from there – your Tasks – would be different, each time.”

The Cat goes on…

“The ‘problem tree’ is often followed by an ‘objectives tree.’ The problems are converted through simple rewording into specific objectives, and you get a ‘means-ends’ relationship.

For example, ‘lack of sufficient water’ becomes ‘improve water supply.’ This objective then provides a basis for your plan – call it your Project and Program definition.”

The Cat changed his hat – to a ‘Guru’ one – and goes:

“Alice, here’s what you do: Take a mental note, if you can, and make a map of what I’m going to tell you – a Mind-Map, if you will.”

Alice wondered what the [hmmm…] a Mind-Map is. This is nothing but a visual representation of keywords branching out – radiating out of your Core Problem, silly. Something like what you see here.

1. List all the problems that come to your mind. These problems need to be carefully identified: they should be an existing real problems; not possible, imagined or future ones. You see, a problem is an existing negative situation, it is not the absence of a solution.
2. Identify a core problem (this may involve considerable trial and error before settling on one).
3. Determine which problems are “Causes” and which are “Effects.”
4. Arrange in hierarchy both Causes and Effects, i.e., how do the causes relate to each other – which leads to the other, etc.

Alice tripped. Everything went dark. This is just too much, she thought. ‘I should’ve met this cat, even before I had set out on this trip’! She wished. But nobody had told her; neither did she imagine or plan to be lost in this ‘nowhere wilderness’!

“I know what you’re thinking.” It’s that Cat’s voice again.

[F*ck]. ‘Now what?’, Alice spoke to herself.

“The story has only just begun.” Alice heard what the cat said. “We have a long way to go.” the cat continued.

“I’ll show you places – on and off-road -, take you through this journey that you never even knew existed and was out there, in the open, left to be explored.”

“Jump-in, it’s your 4X4. Let’s go tripping, through the wilderness. It will be a trip of your life, for life.” The Cat invited Alice.”

‘[Sh*t], this Cat seems like trouble!’ Alice spoke to herself, yet again.

“I hear you.” It’s the Cat again. “You asked for it, didn’t you?” The Cat asked. You wished: ‘please, Mr. Cheshire Cat… help me out of here’.”

Was beginning to get scared? Maybe not. But, now she’s left with not much choice, and she needs to find a way to get out of where she’s stuck at. Get out of this nowhere wilderness.

‘This could be some divine intervention!’ Alice imagined. ‘This Cat is offering to help me out of this “LOST” situation.’ she reconciled.

‘There’s nothing more to lose’ she reckoned. ‘I’ll trust this f*cking Cat, anyway. He looks wise, old and frail. He can’t harm or hurt me.’ Alice, having decided to jump-in to the 4X4, turned to the Cat.

POOF….. All that was left was that infamous grin of the Cheshire Cat. The Cat was gone….!