--- title: The Secret to Problem Solving, According to the Military description: Know the difference between designing and planning. canonical: https://time.com/4101409/effective-problem-solving/ author: Shane Parrish article:opinion: true article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-11-06T05:01:42.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:49:27.812Z article:section: Ideas og:title: The Secret to Problem Solving, According to the Military og:description: Know the difference between designing and planning og:url: https://time.com/4101409/effective-problem-solving/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltc25c2b2fb463239a/69886fc3428a9e2b13ccff59/business-man-posters.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 5057 og:image:height: 2845 og:image:alt: business-man-posters og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: The Secret to Problem Solving, According to the Military twitter:description: Know the difference between designing and planning twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltc25c2b2fb463239a/69886fc3428a9e2b13ccff59/business-man-posters.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # The Secret to Problem Solving, According to the Military > Sponsored content. 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It explains how TIME's journalism is made, from the first pitch through the editorial decisions behind a finished story or cover. #### How can I read about how TIME chooses its covers? Inside TIME is the newsletter where TIME's Editor-in-Chief explains cover selection and the editorial reasoning behind major stories. It is free at time.com/newsletters. #### Who is the editor of TIME? Sam Jacobs is TIME's Editor-in-Chief. He writes Inside TIME, a twice-weekly newsletter about the newsroom's reporting and editorial decisions. #### Is Inside TIME free? Yes. Inside TIME is a free newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. A paid TIME subscription is separate and available at time.com/subscribe-agent. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-inside-2026q3/newsletters?i=2a340242-0592-4368-8290-fa70e46ee869&cr=time-nl-inside-2026q3-v1) ## Video: JCrew's President On How To Give and Take Criticism [Watch (HLS stream): JCrew's President On How To Give and Take Criticism](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/5rVA3aOQ.m3u8) (2:25)  _Published 2015-10-09. JCrew's President, Jenna Lyons, explains how she got started in the fashion industry, what makes a good mentor and how to gracefully take and delicately give criticism._ by [Shane Parrish](https://time.com/author/shane-parrish/) ## Shane Parrish Nov 6, 2015 5:01 AM UTC  Businessman looking at graphs and charts on glass wall in office Businessman looking at graphs and charts on glass wall in office Getty Images by [Shane Parrish](https://time.com/author/shane-parrish/) ## Shane Parrish Nov 6, 2015 5:01 AM UTC While I’m not all that interested in military doctrine and tactics in and of themselves, I am interested in [complex systems](http://www.farnamstreetblog.com/2014/04/mental-model-complex-adaptive-systems/), [how the weak win wars](http://www.farnamstreetblog.com/2012/07/david-and-goliath-the-art-and-science-of-the-underdog/), and the lessons military leaders offer (for example, see the lessons of [William McRaven](http://www.farnamstreetblog.com/2014/05/10-life-lessons-william-mcraven/) and [Stanley McChrystal](http://www.farnamstreetblog.com/2014/03/stanley-mcchrystal-my-share-of-the-task/)). This is how I found myself flipping through [_The U.S. Army / Marine Corps Counterinsurgency Field Manual_](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0226841510/?tag=timecom-20), which was written to facilitate a common understanding of the problems inherent in counterinsurgency campaigns. There was a fascinating section on the difference between designing and planning that caused me to pause and reflect. --- > “” --- To better understand the multifaceted problems many of us face today it helps to talk with people who have different perspectives. This helps achieve better situational understanding. At best this can point the way to solutions and at worst this should help with [learning what to avoid](http://www.farnamstreetblog.com/2013/10/inversion/). Often we skip the information gathering phase because it’s a lot of work. A lot of conversations. However this process helps [us become informed, rather than just opinionated](http://www.farnamstreetblog.com/2013/04/the-work-required-to-have-an-opinion/). --- > “” --- Just as you can never step in the same river twice, design is not something you do once and walk away. It’s an ongoing inquiry into the nature of problems and the various factors and relationships to help improve understanding. Constantly assessing the situation from a design perspective, helps gauge the effectiveness of the planning and subsequent actions. If you don’t periodically reassess the situation, you might be solving a problem that no longer exists. [_The U.S. Army / Marine Corps Counterinsurgency Field Manual_](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0226841510/?tag=timecom-20) is full of other thought-provoking content. **_Read next:_** [**_3 Things the Greatest Generals of History Can Teach You About Strategy_**](http://time.com/3754272/3-things-the-greatest-generals-of-history-can-teach-you-about-strategy/) **_This piece originally appeared on_** [**_Farnam Street_**](https://www.farnamstreetblog.com/2014/12/counterinsurgency-field-manual/)**_._** **Join over 60,000 readers and get a free weekly update via email** [**here**](http://www.farnamstreetblog.com/newsletter/)**.** ## Transcript [ MUSIC ] When I first realized I wanted to be in fashion I took a class in Home Economics. I was extremely tall and got to make something for the first time that actually fit me. A girl named Dara Peterson in my class sat next to me and she said would you make me a skirt like that. And I thought yeah, that's cool. I could do that. And it was the first time I'd been recognized for how I looked, in a positive way. [ MUSIC ] What I find valuable in a mentor is modeling. It's hard to, as you're growing up, no one teaches you management. No one teaches You how to be a good boss. No one teaches you how to motivate or impress. It is not something you learn in school. [ MUSIC ] Watching people how they treat you, what kinds of things they do to make you feel good. What kinds of things they do to motivate you? What kinds of things make you not shut down? How do you not do those things? And all of those those traits and characteristics are the things that you build on overtime and make you the person you are and make you the manager that you are and make you the boss that you are and I think I've been incredibly fortunate to have worked with some people who I've learned so much from and hopefully I don't suck. The hardest thing I had to do was learn how to not internalize everything. I think, especially in a creative field, it's so easy when someone says, oh I don't like something, to feel hurt or crushed. It's like, but I made that. [ LAUGH ] And the fact of the matter is there's plenty of times to make more things, it's not the last time you're gonna make something. And it teaches you also how to Feedback, I think learning how to take feedback, and also how to give it, is probably the most challenging thing, particularly in a creative field. [ MUSIC ] I think one of the reasons I enjoy fashion is that, it isn't this the same thing every year. I mean there's always something next and it's always something different and whether it's a button down shirt that you've seen three times but this time that button down shirt is with a sparkly jewel or the next time it'll be with a ripped up jean and maybe it's with a heel, and I think things are constantly evolving, there's constantly new ways to show and that's what I've always loved about fashion, that I don't worry that there's going to be something next. Every year, whether you like it or not, somehow things change. And your eye shifts. And it feels exciting all over again. 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