Problem-solving in business: using cause and effect language

B2
90 min
Premium
1

Think about these questions before reading. Share your ideas with a partner.

  1. Describe a time you faced a significant challenge on a project at work or in your studies. What was the root cause of the problem, and what steps did you take to resolve it?
  2. In your opinion, what are the most important qualities of an effective problem-solver in a business environment? Is it more important to be creative or analytical?
  3. When a team fails to correctly identify the cause of an issue, what are some of the potential negative consequences or 'knock-on effects' that can occur?
2

Solving a Project Setback

Listen to the dialogue. Notice how the vocabulary and grammar from the lesson are used.

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Key vocabulary for problem-solving

Vocabulary
The following expressions are useful for discussing problems and solutions in a professional context.
Examples
Iron out the kinks — to solve the small problems or finalise the last parts of a plan or process.
This is a common, slightly informal idiom. It suggests that the main parts of a project are complete, but minor issues still need resolving before it's finished.
A bottleneck — a point in a process where the flow of work is slowed down or stopped, causing delays.
Use this noun to describe a specific part of a workflow that is inefficient. Common collocations include 'identify a bottleneck' or 'eliminate a bottleneck'.
Get to the root of the problem — to find and understand the fundamental cause of an issue, not just its symptoms.
This phrase emphasizes the need for a deep and thorough investigation to prevent the problem from happening again. It's a great way to suggest a more strategic approach.
A viable solution — a solution that is practical, workable, and likely to succeed.
'Viable' is a more formal alternative to 'workable' or 'possible'. This collocation is common in reports, proposals, and formal discussions about strategy.
A contingency plan — a plan for what to do if an unexpected event or problem occurs; a backup plan.
This is standard business terminology. You often talk about 'creating a contingency plan' or 'having a contingency plan in place' for potential risks.
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Problem-solving phrases

Connect the sentence halves to form logical statements about solving business problems.

Match each item on the left with the correct item on the right.

Drag or click to match
Definitions
5

Grammar: Cause and effect connectors

Grammar
Cause and effect connectors are words and phrases we use to link an action or event (the cause) with its result (the effect). In a business context, they are essential for clearly explaining problems, justifying decisions, and outlining the consequences of certain actions. It's important to know which connectors are followed by a clause (subject + verb) and which are followed by a noun phrase.
Examples
We had to push back the project deadline due to unexpected technical issues.
Use 'due to', 'because of', or 'owing to' followed by a noun phrase to explain the cause.
The supplier sent the wrong components; consequently, the entire production line was halted.
Use 'consequently', 'as a result', or 'therefore' to introduce the effect, often at the start of a new clause or sentence.
Since the new software had several glitches, we decided to revert to the old system for now.
'Since' and 'as' are often used at the beginning of a sentence to introduce a cause, similar to 'because'.
Key points
  • Connectors like 'because of', 'due to', and 'owing to' must be followed by a noun or noun phrase.
  • Connectors like 'because', 'since', 'as', and 'so' are followed by a full clause (subject + verb).
  • Avoid the common mistake of using 'because of' with a full clause. For example: '...because of the system was down' is incorrect.
6

Find the mistake

Read the sentences below about business problem-solving.

Each sentence contains one error. Find and correct it.

01Due to the software update failed, the entire system went offline for an hour.
Corrected version
Due to Because the software update failed, the entire system went offline for an hour.
02We need to find a more viability solution if we want to stay within budget.
Corrected version
We need to find a more viability viable solution if we want to stay within budget.
03The main bottleneck in our process, which slows everything down, are the manual data entry stage.
Corrected version
The main bottleneck in our process, which slows everything down, are is the manual data entry stage.
04Let's have a meeting to iron up the last few kinks before we launch the product.
Corrected version
Let's have a meeting to iron up out the last few kinks before we launch the product.
05Instead of just fixing the immediate issue, we must get to the route of the problem.
Corrected version
Instead of just fixing the immediate issue, we must get to the route root of the problem.
06Our contingency plan depends from having a backup power generator on site.
Corrected version
Our contingency plan depends from on having a backup power generator on site.
07The project was a success therefore of the team's excellent collaboration.
Corrected version
The project was a success therefore because of the team's excellent collaboration.
7

Complete the sentences with words from the box. One word is extra.

Word bank
01Before we launch the new software, we need to spend a week testing it to any remaining bugs.
02The approval process has become a major in our workflow; projects are getting stuck for days waiting for a signature.
03Simply fixing the error message isn't enough; we need to investigate further to get to the of the problem.
04We considered several ideas, but increasing our marketing budget seems to be the only financially solution right now.
05Due to the unpredictable weather, we must have a plan in place for the outdoor corporate event.
8

The danger of the quick fix

Effective problem-solving often requires looking beyond the most obvious symptoms to find the underlying cause.

Read the passage below, then answer the comprehension questions.

Many teams rush to find an immediate fix when a problem arises, often treating the symptoms instead of the disease. This reactive approach can lead to bigger issues. For instance, a marketing team recently adopted a new project management tool. Initially, it seemed efficient, but soon tasks started getting delayed. The team leader blamed slow user adoption and, consequently, mandated extra training. However, the delays persisted. This was because the training didn't get to the root of the problem. The real issue was a software integration failure, which created a bottleneck in the workflow. Due to this oversight, the team lost a full week of productivity. Only after a thorough analysis did they find a viable solution: a software patch combined with a revised workflow. They also created a contingency plan for future software rollouts, ensuring they properly iron out the kinks before full implementation.

01What was the initial, incorrect assumption about the cause of the project delays?
Sample answerThe team leader initially assumed the delays were caused by the team's slow adoption of the new tool.
02According to the article, what was the actual reason for the workflow slowdown?
Sample answerThe actual reason was a software integration failure that created a bottleneck.
03What two components made up the final successful solution?
Sample answerThe viable solution consisted of a software patch and a revised workflow.
04What can you infer about the team's future approach to implementing new software?
Sample answerIt can be inferred that their future approach will be more careful and proactive, as they now have a contingency plan to test and fix problems before a full rollout.
9

Discuss these questions with a partner. Try to use vocabulary from the lesson.

  1. To what extent should senior management be involved in ironing out the kinks of a new project, versus leaving it to the team on the ground? Is there a risk of creating a bottleneck if leaders are too involved?
  2. In your country's business culture, is it more common to create detailed contingency plans for every possible issue, or to be more flexible and find viable solutions as problems arise? Which approach do you think is more effective?
  3. Some argue that companies often treat the symptoms of a problem rather than getting to the root of it because it's faster and cheaper in the short term. Do you agree? Can you think of an example where this approach led to bigger issues later on?