Having difficulty with a project, coworker, or other stakeholder? Here are five steps you can take that will lead to a solution.

1. Identify the issue. This is harder than it sounds. To understand the real issue you are facing, tap into your curiosity. Turn what you think is the problem into a question. Talk to the people who have a stake in it. Ask pointed questions, so you can understand  and consider their point of view. 
2. Come up with a plan to address the problem. To keep the process moving, don’t go for perfection.
3. Discuss the plan. Reach out to others and ask for feedback on your plan. 
4. Present your plan. If you want to make a change, present a story to colleagues—and a story includes past, present, and future. The past is the part that is often skipped over. Acknowledge accomplishments and hard work. Explain why you want to make the change and share your vision of how this change will lead to improvements.
5. Take action. People often create wreckage by putting plans into place that haven’t been thought through. But if you have taken the above steps, you won’t need to wait any longer to put your plan into action. For most problems, you can take these steps in a week or maybe a few weeks. Choose not to let obstacles stand in your way. The most successful teams move fast.

For more advice, watch Anne Morriss’s TEDTalk, “5 Steps to Fix Any Problem at Work.”