The rubber duck

Sometimes just talking through a problem can be enough to point to one or more solutions.

You could talk it through with a coach or mentor, but with a little practice you can also find ways to talk it through on your own.

The trick is to expose all of your underlying assumptions by explaining it to someone who doesn't know much about your situation, and who doesn't have a personal stake in the outcome.

It doesn't even have to be a real person.

This duck has no ears, but is a fine listener. (Source: Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)

I know some software developers who work through difficult coding problems by explaining it all to a rubber duck they keep on their desk.

That's why the duck is there. It's his only job.

Here's the thing:

Some of the biggest impediments to our success are our own unspoken assumptions.

Forcing yourself to slow down enough to explain it to a disinterested party, even an inanimate one, can help you to examine those assumptions frankly, and get to a clear understanding of how everything fits together.

It just takes a little practice, but it's usually worth the effort.

All the best,
A.