Ep 62 Cracked It: How to Solve Big Problems Like a Strategy Consultant

The Business Book Club

In this episode of The Business Book Club, we explore Cracked It: How to Solve Big Problems and Sell Solutions Like Top Strategy Consultants—a practical, step-by-step guide to mastering the skill of structured problem solving.

Drawing on decades of experience from elite consulting firms, cognitive science, and design thinking, authors Bernard Garrette, Corey Phelps, and Olivier Sibony lay out a proven framework to help anyone—from startup founders to corporate leaders—approach complex challenges with clarity, logic, and impact.

This episode walks you through the 4S method—State, Structure, Solve, and Sell—while revealing the psychological traps we often fall into and giving you the tools to avoid them. Whether you're dealing with business bottlenecks, team misalignment, or strategic decisions, this framework equips you to think better, solve smarter, and communicate your ideas with power.

Key Concepts Covered Why Most Problem Solving Fails

✅ We rely too heavily on fast, intuitive thinking (System 1) and avoid slow, logical analysis (System 2)
✅ Common pitfalls include:

• Poor problem definition

• Confirmation bias

• Choosing the wrong framework

• Narrow framing

• Miscommunication

The 4S Method: A Consultant’s Blueprint for Better Thinking

1. State the Problem

• Use the TOSCA checklist: Trouble, Owner, Success criteria, Constraints, Actors

• Reframe problems from symptoms to root causes

• Engage stakeholders early to build empathy and insight

2. Structure the Problem

• Break down complexity with MECE (Mutually Exclusive, Collectively Exhaustive)

• Use hypothesis pyramids for fast, focused exploration

• Use issue trees for open-ended, unbiased analysis

• Apply frameworks—but carefully. Don’t let them blind you to alternate perspectives

3. Solve the Problem

• Use data wisely: beware of bad stats, hidden biases, and correlation vs. causation

• Make assumptions explicit and stress test them

• Pair analysis with design thinking:

  • Empathize deeply with users

  • Reframe the problem with point-of-view statements

  • Generate ideas using tools like SCAMPER, analogies, and brainstorming

  • Prototype quickly and test with real users

4. Sell the Solution

• Use the Pyramid Principle:

  • Start with your core recommendation (governing thought)

  • Support with 2–5 logically structured arguments (key line)

  • Choose a grouping or SCR (Situation, Complication, Resolution) structure

• Pre-wire key stakeholders before the big meeting

• Don’t let slides dictate your story—craft your narrative first

• Lead with stories, not stats—engage minds and emotions

Actionable Takeaways

✅ Diagnose before you solve—use TOSCA to define the real problem
✅ Fight bias—challenge your assumptions consciously
✅ Pick the right problem structure—hypothesis pyramid for speed, issue tree for depth
✅ Use empathy and prototyping to generate human-centered solutions
✅ Craft your message like a story—use the pyramid principle, pre-wire your stakeholders
✅ Remember: being right isn’t enough. You must persuade effectively

Top Quotes

📌 “A way of seeing is also a way of not seeing.”
📌 “Miscommunication kills good ideas faster than bad data.”
📌 “Being right is only half the battle—you also have to sell it.”
📌 “Frameworks are tools—not truths. Use them carefully.”

Resources Mentioned

📖 Cracked It: How to Solve Big Problems and Sell Solutions Like Top Strategy Consultants – [Get the book here]

Next Steps

Struggling with a challenge—big or small? Apply just one part of the 4S method this week. Define your problem clearly using TOSCA, structure it into a MECE issue tree, or prototype a small solution and test it. These tools aren’t just for consultants—they’re for anyone who wants to think more clearly and lead more confidently.

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