Many times I see others get stuck when focusing on an issue or a problem that looks unsolvable. Strong emotions are present that intensify the feeling of futility with respect to the issue at hand. There is much discussion but little hope of breaking through to either resolve the issue or solve the problem.
My favorite tactic is to always find something else to focus on. Something that is related, but not directly, to the current campfire of frustration.
If you have a quality problem at work and everyone has tried to look at the history of it to find the root cause, change the problem into a question as to whether or not we are making good product today. Spend your time at answering this question and slowly you will find the root cause of your quality problem.
When no one can agree in your group as to a valid direction, change the issue to something related to it. For example, if no one likes the staffing plan of the executive running your organization, instead of spending hours trying to create a different plan, ask the question and debate whether the executive you have placed in charge should be replaced.
This tactic works especially well when people are focused on a personality. Either the obstruction they present because of the volume of their organizational voice or the complaints registered from things not getting done. In this case, I find it that, most times, the systems or processes around that person are the obstacle. So that is what I tend to focus on when conversations are personality driven.
These are just a few examples. Don’t accept getting stuck when things look unsolvable. Change the conversation by finding something related or different that can help you move forward in a way that slowly takes the frustration out of your original problem focus. I find this to be very helpful. I hope you find this to be true, as well.