Mind Tools Newsletter 141 - December 1st, 2009

Solve All Your Problems?

"With a wave of a magic wand, all her problems disappeared". How wonderful would that be? Unfortunately, this only ever happens in fairy tales and, as mere mortals, we continue to face the challenge of solving problems every day.

So, unless your magic skills rival Harry Potter's, it's well worth honing your problem solving skills. After all, this is the only way to find more great solutions, more of the time!

To help you do this, today's featured article asks "How Good Is Your Problem Solving?"

In This Issue

This self-test quiz helps you identify your problem-solving strengths and weaknesses, and directs you to some great tools and techniques at Mind Tools to help you find better solutions.

Among the many tools and techniques of problem solving, our featured favorite is Brainstorming. You're probably comfortable with the basics of brainstorming already, but are you up-to-date with how this technique has developed? Find out more here!

We also have a new article in the related area of decision making, helping you make those all-important but much neglected Go/No-Go Decisions.

For all that's new at Mind Tools in the past two weeks, look below for our round up of What's New, including the latest from the Mind Tools members' community, the Career Excellence Club.

Enjoy this newsletter!

James Manktelow and Rachel Thompson MindTools.com - Essential skills for an excellent career!

What's New?

	How Good Is Your Problem Solving? All Readers Do you solve problems systematically, or do you just grasp the first solution that comes along? Find out if you're solving problems as effectively as you could be. All Readers' New Tool
	Brainstorming Generating many radical, creative ideas All Readers This is possibly the most widely and frequently used workplace "tool", but that doesn't mean that people always brainstorm as effectively as they could. Learn more here! All Readers' Featured Favorite
	Go/No-Go Decisions Deciding whether to go ahead All Readers With many decisions, you're choosing whether to do something – or leave things as they are. Learn how to make good decisions in these situations. All Readers' New Tool
	And What's New in Career Excellence Club?
	Rationalizing Your Project Portfolio Delivering strategic benefits with limited resources Club Members Budgets are being cut. You need to reduce costs without compromise your deliverables. But how? Learn an effective process for maximizing project benefits even when resources are scarce. All Members' New Tool
	"Taking Stock" at Thanksgiving Club Members In the run-up to US Thanksgiving, it's a great time to look back at what you've achieved and what you have to be grateful for. Try the exercise in this Coaching Clinic to help you appreciate your achievements and benefits. All Members' Coaching Clinic
	Your Next Move: The Leader's Guide to Navigating Major Career Transitions, by Michael Watkins Club Members Been promoted? This book is for you! It explains what people need to change each time they take a step up the career ladder, and why. Learn more about it here! Premium Members' Book Insight
	The California Psychological Inventory (CPI) Identifying leadership behaviors, attitudes, and preferences Club Members Discover how this widely used personality test is constructed, and find out how it can help you improve your recruitment and team development efforts. All Members' Coaching Clinic
	How Did That Happen? Holding People Accountable for Results the Positive, Principled Way, by Roger Connors and Tom Smith Club Members When things go wrong, you want to find the culprit. But what if there weren't any crises, because people were quick to admit their concerns early on? This book shows you how to create a culture of personal and group accountability. Find out more about it here! Premium Members' Book Insight
	Using Decision Trees Club Members Option A costs more, but there's a greater chance of a larger return. On the other hand, Option B requires less investment, but you don't really know how it will turn out. Decision trees can help you decide - find out how! All Members' Bite-Sized Training™

Editors' Choice Article
How Good Is Your Problem Solving?

	Use a systematic approach
	©iStockphoto/RBFried

Good problem solving skills are fundamentally important if you're going to be successful in your career. But problems are something that we don't particularly like. They're time-consuming. They muscle their way into already packed schedules. They force us to think about an uncertain future. And they never seem to go away!

That's why, when faced with problems, most of us try to eliminate them as quickly as possible. But have you ever chosen the easiest or most obvious solution – and then realized that you have missed a much better solution? Or have you found yourself fixing just the symptoms of a problem, only for the situation to get much worse?

This quiz helps you assess your current approach to problem solving. By improving this, you'll solve problems more effectively, and you'll make better overall decisions. And as you increase your confidence with solving problems, you'll be less likely to rush to the first solution – which may not necessarily be the best one.

Once you've completed the quiz, we'll direct you to tools and resources that can help you make the most of your problem-solving skills.

How Good Are You at Solving Problems?

Take this test online by visiting http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTMC_72.htm, or on paper by circling the number in the column that most applies. If you take the test online, your results will be calculated for you automatically.

© Mind Tools Ltd, 1995-2009.

Statement	Not at all	Rarely	Some times	Often	Very Often
1. Once I choose a solution, I develop an implementation plan with the sequence of events necessary for completion.	1	2	3	4	5
2. After a solution has been implemented, I immediately look for ways to improve the idea and avoid future problems.	1	2	3	4	5
3. To avoid asking the wrong question, I take care to define each problem carefully before trying to solve it.	1	2	3	4	5
4. I strive to look at problems from different perspectives and generate multiple solutions.	1	2	3	4	5
5. I try to address the political issues and other consequences of the change I'm proposing so that others will understand and support my solution.	1	2	3	4	5
6. I evaluate potential solutions carefully and thoroughly against a predefined standard.	1	2	3	4	5
7. I systematically search for issues that may become problems in the future.	1	2	3	4	5
8. When I decide on a solution, I make it happen – no matter what opposition I may face.	5	4	3	2	1
9. I find that small problems often become much bigger in scope, and thus very difficult to solve.	5	4	3	2	1
10. I ask myself lots of different questions about the nature of the problem.	1	2	3	4	5
11. After my solution is implemented, I relax and focus again on my regular duties.	5	4	3	2	1
12. I focus on keeping current operations running smoothly and hope that problems don't appear.	5	4	3	2	1
13. I evaluate potential solutions as I think of them.	5	4	3	2	1
14. When I need to find a solution to a problem, I usually have all of the information I need to solve it.	5	4	3	2	1
15. When evaluating solutions, I take time to think about how I should choose between options.	1	2	3	4	5
16. Making a decision is the end of my problem-solving process.	5	4	3	2	1

  Score Interpretation

Now add up the scores you've circled.
 

My score overall is:

out of 80

Score	Comment
16-36	You probably tend to view problems as negatives, instead of seeing them as opportunities to make exciting and necessary change. Your approach to problem solving is more intuitive than systematic, and this may have led to some poor experiences in the past. With more practice, and by following a more structured approach, you'll be able to develop this important skill and start solving problems more effectively right away.
37-58	Your approach to problem solving is a little "hit-and-miss." Sometimes your solutions work really well, and other times they don't. You understand what you should do, and you recognize that having a structured problem-solving process is important. However, you don't always follow that process. By working on your consistency and committing to the process, you'll see significant improvements. Find out more below.
59-80	You are a confident problem solver. You take time to understand the problem, understand the criteria for a good decision, and generate some good options. Because you approach problems systematically, you cover the essentials each time – and your decisions are well though out, well planned, and well executed. You can continue to perfect your problem-solving skills and use them for continuous improvement initiatives within your organization. Skim through the sections where you lost points below, and sharpen your skills still further!

Answering these questions should help you recognize the key steps associated with effective problem solving.

This quiz is based on Min Basadur's Simplex problem-solving model. This eight-step process follows the circular pattern shown below, within which current problems are solved and new problems are identified on an ongoing basis.

Below, we outline the tools and strategies you can use for each stage of the problem-solving process. Enjoy exploring these stages!

Step 1: Find the Problem (Statements 7, 12)

For statements in this category, fill in your scores in the table below, and then calculate your total.

	Score
Statement 7
Statement 12
Total	Out of 10

The solutions to some problems are very obvious, however others are not so easily identified. As part of an effective problem-solving process, you need to look actively for problems - even when things seem to be running fine. Proactive problem solving helps you avoid emergencies and allows you to be calm and in control when issues arise.

These techniques can help you do this:

• PEST Analysis helps you pick up changes to your environment that you should be paying attention to. Make sure too that you're watching changes in customer needs and market dynamics, and that you're monitoring trends that are relevant to your industry.
  
• Risk Analysis helps you identify significant business risks.
  
• Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (all members) helps you identify possible points of failure in your business process, so that you can fix these before problems arise.
  
• After Action Reviews help you scan recent performance to identify things that can be done better in the future.
  

Where you have several problems to solve, our articles on Prioritization and Pareto Analysis help you think about which ones you should focus on first.

Step 2: Find the Facts (Statements 10, 14)

For statements in this category, fill in your scores in the table below, and then calculate your total.

	Score
Statement 10
Statement 14
Total	Out of 10

After identifying a potential problem, you need information. What factors contribute to the problem? Who is involved with it? What solutions have been tried before? What do others think about the problem?

If you move forward to find a solution too quickly, you risk relying on imperfect information that's based on assumptions and limited perspectives, so make sure that you research the problem thoroughly.

Step 3: Define the Problem (Statements 3, 9)

For statements in this category, fill in your scores in the table below, and then calculate your total.

	Score
Statement 3
Statement 9
Total	Out of 10

Now that you understand the problem, define it clearly and completely. Writing a clear problem definition forces you to establish specific boundaries for the problem. This keeps the scope from growing too large, and it helps you stay focused on the main issues.

A great tool to use at this stage is CATWOE (all members). With this process, you analyze potential problems by looking at them from six perspectives, those of its Customers; Actors (people within the organization); the Transformation, or business process; the World-view, or top-down view of what's going on; the Owner; and the wider organizational Environment. By looking at a situation from these perspectives, you can open your mind and come to a much sharper and more comprehensive definition of the problem.

Cause and Effect Analysis is another good tool to use here, as it helps you think about the many different factors that can contribute to a problem. This helps you separate the symptoms of a problem from its fundamental causes.

Step 4: Find Ideas (Questions 4, 13)

For statements in this category, fill in your scores in the table below, and then calculate your total.

	Score
Statement 4
Statement 13
Total	Out of 10

With a clear problem definition, start generating ideas for a solution. The key here is to be flexible in the way you approach a problem. You want to be able to see it from as many perspectives as possible. Looking for patterns or common elements in different parts of the problem can sometimes help. You can also use metaphors and analogies to help analyze the problem, discover similarities to other issues, and think of solutions based on those similarities. (TRIZ is a useful formal way of doing this.)

Traditional brainstorming and reverse brainstorming are very useful here. By taking the time to generate a range of creative solutions to the problem, you'll significantly increase the likelihood that you'll find the best possible solution, not just a semi-adequate one. Where appropriate, involve people with different viewpoints to expand the volume of ideas generated.

Tip: Don't evaluate your ideas until step 5. If you do, this will limit your creativity at too early a stage.

Step 5: Select and Evaluate (Questions 6, 15)

For statements in this category, fill in your scores in the table below, and then calculate your total.

	Score
Statement 6
Statement 15
Total	Out of 10

After finding ideas, you'll have many options that must be evaluated. It's tempting at this stage to charge in and start discarding ideas immediately. However, if you do this without first determining the criteria for a good solution, you risk rejecting an alternative that has real potential.

Decide what elements are needed for a realistic and practical solution, and think about the criteria you'll use to choose between potential solutions.

Paired Comparison Analysis, Grid Analysis and Risk Analysis are useful techniques here, as are many of the specialist resources available within the Mind Tools Decision-Making Section. Enjoy exploring these!

Step 6: Plan (Questions 1, 16)

For statements in this category, fill in your scores in the table below, and then calculate your total.

	Score
Statement 1
Statement 16
Total	Out of 10

You might think that choosing a solution is the end of a problem-solving process. In fact, it's simply the start of the next phase in problem solving: implementation. This involves lots of planning and preparation. If you haven't already developed a full Risk Analysis in the evaluation phase, do so now. It's important to know what to be prepared for as you begin to roll out your proposed solution.

The type of planning that you need to do depends on the size of the implementation project that you need to set up. For small projects, all you'll often need are Action Plans that outline who will do what, when, and how. Larger projects need more sophisticated approaches - you'll find out more about these in the Mind Tools Project Management and Planning Techniques Section. And for projects that affect many other people, you'll need to think about Change Management (all members) as well.

Here, it can be useful to conduct an Impact Analysis (all members) to help you identify potential resistance as well as alert you to problems you may not have anticipated. Force Field Analysis will also help you uncover the various pressures for and against your proposed solution. Once you've done the detailed planning, it can also be useful at this stage to make a final Go/No-Go Decision, making sure that it's actually worth going ahead with the selected option.

Step 7: Sell the Idea (Questions 5, 8)

For statements in this category, fill in your scores in the table below, and then calculate your total.

	Score
Statement 5
Statement 8
Total	Out of 10

As part of the planning process, you must convince other stakeholders that your solution is the best one. You'll likely meet with resistance, so before you try to "sell" your idea, make sure you've considered all the consequences.

As you begin communicating your plan, listen to what people say, and make changes as necessary. The better the overall solution meets everyone's needs, the greater its positive impact will be! For more tips on selling your idea, read our article on Creating a Value Proposition (all members) and use our Sell Your Idea Bite-Sized Training session (all members).

Step 8: Act, and then Restart the Search (Questions 2, 11)

For statements in this category, fill in your scores in the table below, and then calculate your total.

	Score
Statement 2
Statement 11
Total	Out of 10

Finally, once you've convinced your key stakeholders that your proposed solution is worth running with, you can move on to the implementation stage. This is the exciting and rewarding part of problem solving, which makes the whole process seem worthwhile.

This action stage is an end, but it's also a beginning: once you've completed your implementation, it's time to move into the next cycle of problem solving by returning to the scanning stage. By doing this, you'll continue improving your organization as you move on into the future.

Key Points

Problem solving is an exceptionally important workplace skill.

Being a competent and confident problem solver will create many opportunities for you. By using a well-developed model like Simplex for solving problems, you can approach the process systematically, and be comfortable that the decisions you make are solid.

Given the unpredictable nature of problems, it's very reassuring to know that, by following a structured plan, you've done everything you can to resolve the problem to the best of your ability.

A Final Note from James

Problem solving is one of the key skill areas we teach at Mind Tools. You'll need these skills throughout your career, in every job role, at every level. So, whether you're figuring out how to resolve your day-to-day challenges or grappling with major problems in the boardroom, I really do encourage you to explore, understand and apply these tools as part of your everyday approach to work!

Over the next two weeks, we'll be discussing topics ranging from pepping up your project management to boosting self-esteem. However, until the next newsletter, keep on honing those problem solving skills!

James Manktelow email us Mind Tools Essential Skills for an Excellent Career!

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