We all have this image in our minds: a colorful cube in our hands, furrowed eyebrows, and this annoying feeling that the more we move the pieces, the more chaos sets in. The Rubik’s Cube is the universal symbol of frustration, but also that of absolute satisfaction once solved.
In the professional world, leaders, managers and entrepreneurs face similar conundrums every day. A project that goes off the rails, an unexplained drop in growth, or a team crisis… These situations resemble a giant Rubik’s Cube. We think we are solving a problem on one side (the red side), and we completely disrupt another department (the blue side).
However, the champions of the cube do not guess: they apply a method. By transposing this approach to crisis management and decision-making, we obtain a formidable method: the Rubik’s Cube strategy.
Here’s how to master this business algorithm to solve your most complex problems.
1. The “one sided” syndrome: the mistake we all make
Faced with a Rubik’s Cube, the beginner’s reflex is predictable: he chooses a color, often white, and strives to align the nine squares on one side. Once successful, he looks up, proud of himself. The problem ? The other sides are a nameless mess, and to move forward, he will have to destroy what he has just built.
In business, this trap is called silo vision.
Concrete example: Your business is decreasing its turnover. The “one-sided” reflex consists of requiring the sales team to double their calls. Result ? Sales increase a little, but customer service, overwhelmed, explodes. Dissatisfied customers leave in droves. You solved one problem by creating three more.
The Rubik’s Cube strategy imposes a radical paradigm shift: we do not solve a problem face by face, but layer by layer. You must be willing to look at the entire system (the cube) to understand how movement in one place impacts the rest of the structure.
2. Step 1: analyze the initial state (take inventory)
A speedcuber never starts spinning the cube immediately. The regulations allow him 15 seconds of inspection. He observes, identifies the key pieces and anticipates his first three movements.
In problem solving, this phase is crucial and too often botched under the pressure of urgency.
- Stop running: Take the time to inspect.
- Map the problem: What are the fixed elements (the centers of the cube, which never move)? In your business, the centers are your values, your mission, your vital cash flow.
- Identify the moving parts: What are the variable factors (the market, the tools, the team’s skills)?
Only start looking for solutions when you have a 360-degree view of the situation.
3. Step 2: The Layering Method (Prioritize and Sequence)
To solve a Rubik’s Cube systemically, we generally use the method LBL (Layer by Layer or Layer by Layer). We solve the first crown, then the second (the middle), and finally the last.
Transposed to business strategy, this approach makes it possible to fragment an insurmountable crisis into digestible sub-objectives.
Correspondence table: From Cube to Strategy
| Cube Stage | Business equivalent | Key Action |
| The White Cross (Base) | Foundations / Emergency | Stop the financial hemorrhage or stabilize the immediate crisis. |
| The First Layer | Internal Processes | Align direct teams and clarify roles. |
| The Second Layer | Optimization | Improve the product, automate, streamline communication between departments. |
| The Last Face (The summit) | Expansion / Vision | Innovate, scale the model, conquer new markets. |
Wanting to fix expansion issues (the last layer) while your financial foundations (the base) are crumbling is the equivalent of wanting to finish the top of the cube while ignoring the bottom. It’s mathematically impossible.
4. Step 3: apply algorithms (create processes)
No one solves a Rubik’s Cube by pure intuition or luck. We use algorithms : precise sequences of movements (Up, Left, Down, Right) which allow you to move a specific part without destroying the rest of the work.
In management, algorithms are your processes and protocols.
If a problem arises (for example, a major bug in your web application), your team should not improvise. It must carry out a managerial algorithm:
- Identification and isolation of the bug (Security).
- Transparent communication to users (Public Relations).
- Patching in a test environment (Technical).
- Deployment and debriefing (Post-mortem).
The advantage of the algorithm? It reduces mental load, eliminates emotion in times of crisis and guarantees repeatability of success.
5. The human factor: agreeing to “undo” to rebuild better
This is the most difficult time for a Rubik’s Cube beginner. To place a piece of the second layer, you sometimes have to turn the first side and temporarily break the perfect alignment that took ten minutes to create. This requires faith in the method.
In business, this is called change management.
To resolve a fundamental problem, you will sometimes have to agree to go through an uncomfortable transition phase:
- Changing outdated software will slow down productivity for two weeks.
- Restructuring a team will create temporary friction.
- Pivoting your business model will reduce turnover in the short term to ensure long-term survival.
The “Rubik’s Cube” leader knows that temporary disorder is not a failure, but a necessary step toward final alignment.
Become the “speedcuber” of your sector
Solving problems in business is not a matter of genius or luck. It’s a question of method, patience and overall vision. By adopting the Rubik’s Cube strategy, you stop sticking band-aids on wooden legs (the one-sided syndrome) and finally build solid solutions, layer by layer.
The next time your business faces a complex crisis, don’t panic. Take a deep breath, look at the cube from all angles, isolate the first layer, and apply your algorithm. Chaos is just a temporary configuration waiting to be ordered.
