Quotes About Problem-solving

There are two ways of meeting difficulties: you alter the difficulties, or you alter yourself to meet them.

To be a carpenter or a builder or a home inspector, you have to have that kind of visual brain where you can sort of imagine something taken apart.

Drawing and visual pursuits were first. Music came and found me in a way. Really, what it's about is creative problem solving, and music is a lot more an expression of that than painting is for me.

The Pavlovian view of women voters - 'plug the words in, and they will respond' - sends a chill down my spine because it sounds like an adaptation of something I have written about communication between the sexes: When a woman tells a man about a problem, she doesn't want him to fix it; she just wants him to listen and let her know he understands.

Every manager must be prepared to face every situation.

We need to think out of the box rather than just going round and round, beating ourselves up about numbers.

met here as Americans to solve that problem.

If a lump of soot falls into the soup and you cannot conveniently get it out, scum it well, and it will give the soup a high French taste.

Cuando se encuentre en un callejón sin salida, no sea idiota, salga por donde entró.

Todos los hombres se sintieron señores de un tesoro intacto y secreto. No había problema personal o mundial cuya elocuente solución no existiera: en algún hexágono. El universo estaba justificado, el universo bruscamente usurpó las dimensiones ilimitadas de la esperanza.

The stronger person is not the one making the most noise but the one who can quietly direct the conversation toward defining and solving problems.

You can always count on the American people to do the right thing, after they have exhausted all other possibilities.

Give a small boy a hammer, and he will find that everything he encounters needs pounding. It comes as no particular surprise to discover that a scientist formulates problems in a way which requires for their solution just those techniques in which he himself is especially skilled.

I suppose it is tempting, if the only tool you have is a hammer, to treat everything as if it were a nail.

To the man who only has a hammer in the toolkit, every problem looks like a nail.

The group beamed and applauded. It was a lot to absorb. I thought I'd better summarize. "So when it comes to homework," I said, "here are your new strategies." 1. Be on your child's side. Acknowledge his feelings! 2. Problem-solve. Consider everything. 3. Be your child's advocate. Communicate with the teacher when homework gets overwhelming. Don't worry about what other people's kids are doing.

The attitude behind your words is as important as the words themselves. The attitude that children thrive on is one that communicates, "You're basically a lovable, capable person. Right now there's a problem that needs attention. Once you're aware of it, you'll probably respond responsibly.

Kids, this is a tough problem, but I have confidence that you two can put your heads together and come up with a solution that you can both agree to.

The best part of using descriptive language is that it takes out the finger-pointing and accusation, and helps everyone focus on what needs to be done.

When we describe the event (instead of talking about what "you did"), we seem to make it easier for the child to hear what the problem is and deal with it.

We are giving them the tools that will enable them to be active participants in solving the problems that confront them—now, while they're at home, and in the difficult, complex world that awaits them.

A Quick Reminder . . . To Engage a Child's Cooperation 1. DESCRIBE WHAT YOU SEE, OR DESCRIBE THE PROBLEM. "There's a wet towel on the bed." 2. GIVE INFORMATION. "The towel is getting my blanket wet." 3. SAY IT WITH A WORD. "The towel!" 4. DESCRIBE WHAT YOU FEEL. "I don't like sleeping in a wet bed!" 5. WRITE A NOTE. (above towel rack) Please put me back so I can dry. Thanks! Your Towel

Build a better mousetrap and the world will beat a path to your door.

An inventor's path is chorused with groans, riddled with fist-banging and punctuated by head scratches.