Make no mistake, any employer will love you if you can solve problems. Employers will employ you if you can sort their problems for them, even if it doesn’t say so in the job description. Therefore it pays to be as good at problem solving as you can possibly become.
But problem solving does not stop at work. Solving problems is our daily bred and butter, we do it all the time, intuitively, automatically and even subconsciously.
Basically problem solving is an attitude. The natural problem solver does not view a challenging situation as a problem. In fact he or she may even get excited at the prospect of a challenge. When you feel your problems are overwhelming you, you are basically in a limiting and negative frame of mind.
This attitude can be changed of course.
You can learn problem solving, it is a skill like any other. There is no magic involved, All you need is be willing to adopt a different mind set and try new ideas.
Problem solving is about creating new ideas.
The reason most of us have very little or no problem solving skills is to do with our upbringing. The educated mind thinks in linear and logical ways. This not necessarily the best way to get into problem solving mode. In the old paradigm problem solving methods are highly pro-active, produces stress and creates urgency to get immediate results.
This old paradigm of going about life in general is becoming redundant. New, better techniques, mainly from the field of energy psychology pave the way for easier, less stressful ways to solve our daily lot.
Problem solving becomes much easier when you use intend, relaxation and simple re framing techniques. The Secret is allowing things to come to you, rather then you chasing them.
Allowing is a very powerful tool. When you relax with the intention to find the solution to a vexing problem, without constantly focusing on it, you are allowing the answer to come to you. You are switching the neuro transmitters to receiving mode, so to speak. And this is all you have to do.
I know it sounds unreal and you don’t really want to follow my advice, because you think it does not work. After all, it goes against all your instincts and what we have learned. You believe that you need to always be pro-active, otherwise you get nowhere.
I am not telling you to stop doing things and sit around idly whilst you wait for an answer to your problem to pop into your head. But I am asking you to relax, observe, sit quietly, or do something else, or sleep over the problem, and then see what happens.
Watch for signs to the answers. You don’t even have to consciously watch, it will just happen. I assure you the answers will come, sooner then you think. They will come in the form of a telephone call, a news article, a book, something you see on television or on a web site,
This is the time to take action, now you are getting nearer to the solution of whatever it is that’s bugging you. You have worked less hard, worried less and stressed less over it. Just think, if you can learn to solve problems in this way, how much better off you will be. You will have more time, feel more relaxed and probably get a lot more done in your day too.
How many times have you caught yourself saying that there could be no other solution to a problem – and that that problem leads to a dead end? How many times have you felt stumped knowing that the problem laying before you is one you cannot solve. No leads. No options. No solutions.
Did it feel like you had exhausted all possible options and yet are still before the mountain – large, unconquerable, and impregnable? When encountering such enormous problems, you may feel like you’re hammering against a steel mountain. The pressure of having to solve such a problem may be overwhelming.
But rejoice! There might be some hope yet!
With some creative problem-solving techniques you may be able to look at your problem in a different light. And that light might just be the end of the tunnel that leads to possible solutions.
First of all, in the light of creative problem-solving, you must be open-minded to the fact that there may be more than just one solution to the problem. And, you must be open to the fact that there may be solutions to problems you thought were unsolvable.
Now, with this optimistic mindset, we can try to be a little bit more creative in solving our problems.
Number one; maybe the reason we cannot solve our problems is that we have not really taken a hard look at what the problem is. Here, trying to understanding the problem and having a concrete understanding of its workings is integral solving the problem. If you know how it works, what the problem is, then you have a better foundation towards solving the problem.
Not trying to make the simple statement of what problem is. Try to identify the participating entities and what their relationships with one another are. Take note of the things you stand to gain any stand to lose from the current problem. Now you have a simple statement of what the problem is.
Number two; try to take note of all of the constraints and assumptions you have the words of problem. Sometimes it is these assumptions that obstruct our view of possible solutions. You have to identify which assumptions are valid, in which assumptions need to be addressed.
Number three; try to solve the problem by parts. Solve it going from general view towards the more detailed parts of the problem. This is called the top-down approach. Write down the question, and then come up with a one-sentence solution to that from them. The solution should be a general statement of what will solve the problem. From here you can develop the solution further, and increase its complexity little by little.
Number four; although it helps to have critical thinking aboard as you solve a problem, you must also keep a creative, analytical voice at the back of your head. When someone comes up with a prospective solution, tried to think how you could make that solution work. Try to be creative. At the same time, look for chinks in the armor of that solution.
Number five; it pays to remember that there may be more than just one solution being developed at one time. Try to keep track of all the solutions and their developments. Remember, there may be more than just one solution to the problem.
Number six; remember that old adage,” two heads are better than one.” That one is truer than it sounds. Always be open to new ideas. You can only benefit from listening to all the ideas each person has. This is especially true when the person you’re talking to has had experience solving problems similar to yours.
You don’t have to be a gung-ho, solo hero to solve the problem. If you can organize collective thought on the subject, it would be much better.
Number seven; be patient. As long as you persevere, there is always a chance that a solution will present itself. Remember that no one was able to create an invention the first time around.
Creative thinking exercises can also help you in your quest be a more creative problems solver.
Here is one example.
Take a piece of paper and write any word that comes to mind at the center. Now look at that word then write the first two words that come to your mind. This can go on until you can build a tree of related words. This helps you build analogical skills, and fortify your creative processes.
So, next time you see a problem you think you can not solve, think again. The solution might just be staring you right in the face. All it takes is just a little creative thinking, some planning, and a whole lot of work.
It’s no surprise to business leaders that solving problems is a huge part of business success. Some business leaders thrive on managing problems, others don’t. But what makes some leaders so much more successful at it than others? Is it the techniques they adopt, the advisors they hire, or maybe the staff they deploy? In reality it’s a combination of all these factors, with a heavy emphasis on focus. The ability to focus on problems for what they are – nothing more, nothing less – just issues that require objective and realistic thinking and action to be solved. Here are ten tips for solving problems that many business leaders use regularly:
1. BELIEVE THAT – “The problem is the process, not the people” – 85% of service, quality, and productivity problems are directly related to the design and management of a business process. Problem solvers know this and look to change the process before asking individuals to change or improve.
2. LISTEN – to the people who work for you, with you, and even against you. Successful problem solvers know there are multiple perspectives to issues and problems. They endeavor to listen and understand them all and then take the best and leave the rest.
3. EMPLOY THE 80 / 20 RULE – This rule is as true for solving problems as it is for making sales, i.e. “20% of your sales efforts produce 80% of your sales.” The busy business leader is always asking “what’s really important here, and where should I be spending my time to solve this problem?”
4. USE DATA – Business leaders are keenly aware of the power of opinions and anecdotal information. They stay clear of such, and endeavor to support every suggestion or recommendation with the best quantitative data available. They know that good decisions are based on good information.
5. GENERATE IDEAS THROUGH OTHERS – Business leaders revel in getting the best out of the people they work with. They know that great ideas can come from those who actually perform your work as well as vendors and trusted advisors. Problem solvers are always looking for multiple solutions to problems and opportunities.
6. UNDERSTAND YOUR CUSTOMERS – enough said!
7. PLAN and
8. EXECUTE- These two go hand-in-hand, particularly so for complex problems. Solving problems requires good discipline coupled with good methodology. Although not rocket science, solving complex problems does require a certain amount of management science, which is simply the deployment of a common sense problem solving sequence – e.g. 1-define the problem, 2- analyze the problem, 3-develop alternatives, 4- select and plan a solution, 5- implement the solution, 6-evaluate and adjust. Of course there are times when problem solving requires making a decision based on your gut instincts. And when that’s the case by all means do so. But don’t fool yourself either – when possible, use an objective problem solving process.
9. FOCUS ON RESULTS – Successful problem solvers quickly distinguish symptoms from problems and don’t get hung up on opinions vs. facts or style vs. substance. They search for root causes to problems and drive for comprehensive results that will solve problems both short and long term.
10. UNDERSTAND CHANGE – Successful business leaders understand that in order to solve most problems, someone, somewhere, somehow – has to change – maybe a little, maybe a lot – but change. The implications of this simple fact are significant since you know that change, for most people, is difficult. Therefore executing a solution will require helping people get through the change – and you must be prepared to provide that help.
This list of tips is certainly not complete. However, using just a few tips at the right time and the right place, will improve your problem solving ability significantly.
Since 1982 SIGMA Resource Group has been helping business leaders and their companies achieve their goals. We help business owners, leaders, and entrepreneurs break through organizational and personal limitations and plan and lead their companies to long term success. Our one driving goal has been and always will be to help clients achieve results.
Mark Akerley ? Mark has the unique ability to simultaneously be both an Advisor and Leader for his clients. Clients and colleagues point out his excellent listening and analytic abilities combined with his drive and know-how to get things done. For more than twenty years as founder and President of Sigma Resource Group he has worked with companies of all sizes and in many industries ? including Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, GE, Penn National, EMC, AMA, American Automobile Association – and over 300 other organizations. Mark?s leadership has resulted in companies significantly improving service, quality, productivity, and operating results. Mark?s real passion though is working with small to mid-sized companies and their business owners and top teams to help them set and achieve realistic yet ?stretch? goals. As he says, ?it?s all about results and fulfillment for the business leader.?
When things go wrong, does your organization put its energy into finding the guilty parties to blame? Or does your organization work to solve problems?
We have developed into a blaming society. Mom blames the older siblings when problems arise in the household. Teacher finds someone to blame when things go out of control in the class room. Management and unions blame each other. Political parties use blame in the extreme, and it is disruptive, subordinating national goals under political aims. Spouses unfortunately play the blame game to the destruction of marriages and families. Experts in many realms teach that making things better should be the focus of our energies. The barrier to this is blame.
Blame is the process of assigning responsibility for an event on another. Various emotions drive the blame, and it results in loss of face, embarrassment, fear and anger. It is unpleasant for all parties concerned. The language of blame and problem solving is distinctively different, and a study of real life situations could be constructive for managers hoping to rise above the cauldron of anger and blame. A manager may assign responsibility for a task without assigning blame. And you can hold someone accountable for results without blaming. The distinction is in the language and tone of the message. Robert Bacal, consultant from Casselman, Ontario gives some helpful scenarios:
Blame – ‘If you had done your work on time, we wouldn’t be in this mess.’
Factual statement – ‘Your responsibility is to fulfill your work commitments on time. When your work wasn’t available, I had to speak to the boss without the information I needed.’
The factual statement is the prelude to problem solving. The blame statement is bound to cause sparks to fly. Problem solving is focused on the present and the future. The goal is fixing a present problem and seeking to prevent it in the future.
Problem solving lacks the emotions of blaming, and it is less personal and more systems oriented. The problem solving process needs an understanding of the past and an understanding of the root causes of issues. It may include:
Clarifying the problem, goal or purpose
Collecting data, gain understanding
Diagnose, identify sources of problem
Formulate hypotheses for cause
Formulate a strategy for solution
Evaluate, collect more data
Note that assigning of blame is not part of the process. Neither is there room for emotional upheavals. Solving problems requires the use of a process, much of which was created by Deming. TQM, the quality system of modern companies, provides the structure and knowledge on how to solve problems the efficient way. Whether you are pursuing continuous improvement, organizational reinforcement, or improving performance on various levels, the issue of blame vs. problem solving is critical.
When problems occur, such as lack of performance, failure to meet commitments, etc, and you need to intervene, use problem solving. Begin by trying to understand the problem and underlying issues with the employee. Poor performance can be the result of boredom, stress, limited skills or knowledge, or other systems issues such as equipment or authority. Working with the employee to attack the root problem will help avoid it in the future. The focus is on the future. Additional scenarios by Robert Bacal:
Blame
Mgr: John, you should have let me know this work would not be ready for the meeting. We all looked stupid in front of the boss, and it’s going to take us time to recover.
John: I tried to tell you, but you were on vacation. And I forgot. You are very hard to get a hold of, you know.
Mgr: You could have called me at home.
John: I didn’t want to bother you. You said I shouldn’t call you unless it was absolutely urgent.
The manager attacks, and the employee defends. This could end up with attacks flying back and forth. The situation is not pleasant. Now look at how it could have gone:
Problem Solving
Mgr: John, I expected to have information from you prior to the teleconference. We need to figure out what happened and how to make sure it doesn’t happen again. Was I not clear on the date, or was there some other thing that caused us to miss the deadline?
John: Well, I might have misunderstood about the urgency, and when you went on vacation, I didn’t want to bother you at home.
Mgr: OK, well, how does this sound. If I need something on an urgent basis, I’ll make sure that I tell you in the future. I can also let people know when it is OK to call me at home, so it will be easier. I am also going to ask you to please keep me informed, though on projects like this we won’t be embarrassed again. Does this make sense?
John: Yes, and I have more input that may be useful….
You can feel the difference in the dialogues. The problem solving dialogue is neutral aimed at finding where the problem lies and works to prevent reoccurrence. Of course, it may not go this smoothly, and it is oversimplified.
Modeling problem solving in everything you do, staff meetings and other gatherings, is an excellent habit to form. When in a conference, and blame raises its ugly head, redirect with ‘what can we do, then, in the future?’ Seek a problem solving attitude when blame is assigned during a meeting. When you start doing this you begin to create a blameless culture, a responsible culture that discourages empty complaints that will put you in the middle of other people’s disputes.
Moving from blame to problem solving is a tough road because many people will not discern the difference. For some, being responsible also means to be at fault. When blame raises its head, return to the problem, ask diagnostic questions, begin to find root causes, and avoid being drawn into the blame game. In time, some people will begin to see the difference and trust that you are not blaming but attempting to fix the problem.
Christine Casey-Cooper is a leadership and management mentor and is an author of leadership satire that is humorous for employees and entertaining and instructive to leaders and managers. The Bad Boss Contest is both fun and instructive. Her new book, The Crass Captain’s Guide to Management Dysfunction, is available on the Crass Captain website along with many more leadership articles.
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