Find the real problem by flipping the question on its head

A media startup was bleeding subscribers despite pouring money into fancy features. The leadership team focused on tactics—more push notifications, new landing pages—but nothing stuck. One afternoon, their strategist suggested they flip the question: “What would make our subscribers leave?” Suddenly, missing a local news angle, slow load times, and an unclear onboarding process shot to the top of the list. They discovered that subscribers weren’t fleeing because they wanted more pushy alerts—they left because the core promise of trustworthy, local journalism was buried.

By reframing the problem, they shifted from chasing every new marketing fad to doubling down on editors dedicated to local beats. Within three months, churn dropped by 30% and engagement doubled. That success wasn’t from a tricked-out app but from asking the deeper question: “What truly matters to our audience?”

In a business context, the first question often keeps you trapped in a box. You chase competition, industry norms, and knee-jerk solutions. Flipping your question or inverting your problem forces you to tear down that box and ask what you’re missing. Then you connect that insight back to a strategy that solves the real challenge.

This approach echoes detective work: every breakthrough comes from “What don’t we know yet?” rather than “What do we already believe?” That subtle shift, proven in organizational research, sparks better decisions and more profitable outcomes.

You begin by writing your initial problem statement, then literally flip it to reveal hidden dangers. Next, you mine both versions for assumptions—those silent rules—then zoom out to capture your true objective. That newly framed question becomes your guiding star for strategy and tactics. Try this inversion exercise at your next team meeting and watch your big problem shrink.