Seemingly impossible problems can cost you dearly at the bottom line, limit growth, and block your ability to take advantage of critical opportunities.

 An "impossible" problem can be simply quantitatively defined by increasing the bogie of any key financial parameter such as revenues, profit, or growth until the CEO or CFO exclaims "Are you crazy ? - that's impossible !"

 An "impossible" problem can also be more complex and qualitative due to deep-seated inabilities to collaborate, deal with large amounts of information, and integrate functions across the organization. Such organizational issues need not be tolerated - you can overcome these barriers and enjoy greater profits.

These daunting problems fall into one of three categories:

A. Intractable - you have tried to solve it in the past (perhaps many times) and it could not be solved.

B. Impossible - you are well aware of the problem and avoid or navigate around it but you cannot begin to figure out how to solve it.

C. Invisible - growth and profits could be much greater and life could be much easier if you knew this problem existed so you could solve it.

Many seemingly impossible problems are due to the unwillingness or inability to share information, tap experiential and tacit knowledge. In addition, most organizations lack modern tools to collect, organize, and structure ideas, facts, data, and opinions into a coherent whole.