You can save days of work with these comprehensive guides, workflows, and prompts

Strategic problem-solving is one of the most important skills for leaders.

This is why the management consulting industry in the United States was valued at $392.2 billion in 2024.

I spent 6 months learning all about problem-solving from a former McKinsey Management Consultant.

It was a game-changer. In the last 8 years, I have been a consultant, led teams, worked as a coach and problem-solving instructor, and now run my own business.

The cornerstone of my problem-solving framework is the 4S process.

It applies to any strategic challenge.

And today, you don’t need ten consultants for millions of dollars.

AI helps us streamline the problem-solving process. You can save money, time, and energy.

All you need is an understanding of the framework, the right workflows and prompts, and an exploratory mindset.

Let’s dive in.

How Top Consultants Solve Strategic Problems

Before we get to the AI part, let’s look at the frameworks consultants use.

There are different versions. I refer to the 4S process: State, Structure, Solve, and Set in Motion.

I have explained it in detail in previous articles.

TL;DR:

• There are four iterative phases: state, structure, solve, and set in motion.
• There are 3 paths across these phases: hypothesis-driven, issue-driven, and design thinking.
• You always start by clearly defining the problem. What are we trying to achieve? For this, you use the TOSCA framework, as you will see below.
• Once the problem is defined, you break it down. If you have a good potential solution, try to confirm or reject it using hypotheses.
• If you don’t have a good solution, you break it down into smaller questions or issues.
• If you struggle with an analytical breakdown, you ideate using design thinking techniques such as brainwriting.
• Once you have found a good problem breakdown, you prioritize tasks and conduct needed analyses and experiments.
• You synthesize what you have learned from these analyses and define the best solution.
• You then set the needed change in motion.

Let’s see how to use AI to streamline this.

How to Define the Problem With AI So Solving Becomes Easy

Most of us struggle to solve problems because we don’t spend enough time understanding the issue.

The consulting way to address complex problems is with a framework for problem definition.

I use the TOSCA framework.

TL;DR:

You collect all of the information to grasp the problem fully:

• Trouble: What’s the symptom or trouble that makes this problem real?
• Owner: Whose problem is it?
• Success: How and when will we know we have effectively solved the problem?
• Constraints: What limits must we consider when solving the problem? For example, what constraints are there regarding resources, time, skills, and preexisting commitments?
• Actors: Who is concerned with how we solve the problem, and what do they want?

Once you’ve gathered all the necessary information, you can craft a core problem statement, such as a “How might we?” question.

I have streamlined this process with AI.

With the right prompt, the AI will ask you questions individually. Just like a consultant would.