Problem Solving

• The importance of good problem solving skills

• Different ways people deal with problems

• Types of approaches that are required to solve problems

• Resolving workplace conflicts effectively

• How to deal with harassment in the workplace

Key Lessons

Employers want employees who can solve problems. This means

• thinking creatively

• using good judgment

• making strong decisions

Today’s business world is very hard to manage. Most companies have to deal with stronger competition and higher customer expectations. This means that the employees who can tackle problems and come up with solutions make a strong impact and help the business stay in business.

Key Lessons

• There are many ways to approach thinking about a problem and the various mindsets that are required when solving problems

• Critical, innovative and creative thinking along with a lateral mindset can effectively help you solve problems

Critical thinking is act of deliberately analyzing information so that you can make better judgements and decisions.

Innovative and creative thinking are thinking processes used to generate ideas and solutions that are often considered outside the box.

• To “Think outside the box” means that you can look at something differently to come up with a new option. It means being creative and not using the same old reasons or ideas.

• If something is done one way simply because “That’s the way we’ve always done it”, it doesn’t mean it’s good or effective!

A lateral mindset is the way of solving a problem using a creative and innovative approach.

You can use a lateral mindset to answer these riddles:

Below is a list of the critical challenges that employers face regularly. A dedicated and valued employee cares about these issues and can help identify and solve problems.

Instructions: Use critical, creative and lateral thinking to come up with solutions to these problems.

1. Save money.

2. Save or maintain company equipment.

3. Avoid injuries and accidents.

4. Help serve customers better.

5. Make/sell/service a quality product.

6. Improve the company’s reputation.

7. Increase staff morale and improve relationships at work.

Key Lessons

• There are many ways to solve problems.

• It starts with a plan of action!

• We will review 3 effective ways that help in most situations.

1. Pro/Con lists

List the positive and negative points to any problem. “Pro” stands for the things that you feel are benefits or good points. “Con” stands for the harmful or negative points to consider.

a. List everything Pro and Con you can think of!

b. Review and examine your lists.

c. Make a decision.

You will have a much better picture of the problem and the answer will seem clearer to you. Even if one list is much longer than the other, it doesn’t always mean it’s the best choice.

2. Brainstorming

• Brainstorming on your own or with others can help you

• Explore new ideas or angles on the challenge

• Get different solutions to the problem

• Once you’ve thought of several options, you can pick the best one for your situation.

Brainstorming Rules

a. Don’t judge! There are no bad ideas. No giggling or eye rolling at people’s ideas.

b. Have fun and be creative. Every contribution is potentially useful—even if it sounds strange or unrealistic.

c. Try to generate as many ideas as possible and keep an open mind.

d. Listen carefully to each other’s ideas and allow them to “spark” new ideas for you. It’s OK to build on to someone else’s suggestions.

3. IDEAL Model

If you have a problem, you could try using the IDEAL model. This is described by Bransford and Stein in their book Ideal Problem Solver. It is a more strategic process than the previous options. It breaks down what you need to do to solve a problem into stages. The stages are

Identify the issue

Define the obstacles or things in the way

Examine your options – and talk with your co-workers

Act on an agreed course of action

Look at how it turns out, and whether any changes need to be made

Key Lesson

Many workplace problems can be avoided if you just follow the rules or instructions. Sometimes you may be too afraid to ask for better instructions. You may be embarrassed because you were already shown or told once or twice before. Maybe there is a language barrier, or you just don’t agree with or like their way of doing something.

If following instructions is a problem for you

• be sure to take extra notes

• ask to be shown it a few more times – it is better to be shown more times than do something incorrectly

• use your cell phone to record the instructions and you won’t have to ask again.

Remember, if you ever have to do something other than what you were instructed to do, always double check get permission first – preferably in writing.

Key Lesson

• In the workplace, it is not unusual to have some kind of conflict. You control how you personally handle it.

• You will be evaluated (informally or formally) on your ability to resolve conflicts with co-workers and customers.

What is conflict?

Conflict is when 1 person or group wants, needs, or believes something different from someone else. Conflict can range from a friendly disagreement or turn to a more violent situation. The top causes of conflict at work are:

a. Personality differences

Solution: Be understanding, open-minded, and accept that people are different. You simply have to get your work done – so spend your energy on that.

b. Not following rules or policies

Solution: Get help from co-workers or supervisors, and keep the focus on the issue, not the person.

c. Perceptions and misunderstandings

Solution: Keep good records of communications, emails, etc., practice active listening techniques discussed in the communication unit, and practice clear communication.

d. Competition – for top sales or results, better equipment, promotions, projects

Solution: Manage your emotions; think about the overall team success. If you are tired of never being at the top, ask your boss for help. Maybe you can take some training or try a new method.

Conflicts with others are often caused by poor communication and lack of problem-solving skills. To add to that, there are several things that get in the way of resolving conflicts. As a group, come up with some examples in the workplace where the following things cause conflicts or problems:

a. Strong emotions (example?)

b. Expectations or very high hopes (example?)

c. Making assumptions – including stereotypes and past experiences (example?)

d. Negative attitude (example?)

Key Lesson

• Not all conflicts can be fully resolved to everyone’s satisfaction. It’s very hard to work well with everybody – all the time!

• However, the assertive and professional you can work at finding a compromise, or “win-win” situations

If you have a problem with a co-worker, don’t be the person who yells, swears, or complains. It’s not okay.

Try to respond rather than react.

a. A reaction is immediate and emotional. When you react, you usually say or do things you regret.

b. A response is more planned and controlled and helps when there are difficult situations and people.

• When you are responding to someone, think about and act on what you can do to solve it – ignore the things that are out of your control or off topic

• Talk to the person directly and privately – not behind their back

• Choose a neutral and safe place to talk – away from your work area, such as a quiet area during a break

How close is too close?

That depends on how well you know and trust the other person. If you're working out a conflict with a friend, or at least a trusted acquaintance, the personal space bubble can extend anywhere from 18 inches to 4 feet in all directions. But if you're dealing with a stranger or new acquaintance, customer or colleague, you're now in what's called "social space," and boundaries for that vary widely -- from 4 to 12 feet.

If the person you're talking to takes a step back, suddenly closes off their posture, pulls their chair back, etc., you're too close. If you're standing and the other person is sitting, you should also sit down. Then, take a moment. Negative reactions can come on in a flash, but they don't diffuse quite as quickly.

What to Do if Your Space is Not Respected

Remember, the goal is to keep personalities out of the discussion. One way to do that is to assume good faith rather than bad intent. Nonverbal communication is largely unconscious. It's naive to assume that ruthless office politics never take place, but it's not helpful to leap to that conclusion.

If your personal or social space bubble is being breached, protect it calmly but firmly. It's fine to take a step back and say something like, "I need some space here to collect my thoughts." Don't apologize. It's not wrong to have boundaries. You're being assertive, and you're also working to defuse tension.

The worst thing you can do is to respond in kind. One person using an aggressive style is bad enough; two people doing it is a recipe for disaster.

Key Lessons

• Workplace harassment and bullying is unacceptable and must be reported

• Everyone deserves to work in a harassment free positive work environment

• The Government has laws and workplaces have policies about workplace harassment

Many workplaces have a formal policy on workplace harassment, and many offer training.

• Don’t let others get away with harassing people.

• Know your rights if you experience harassment at work

The Human Rights Code and the Occupational Health and Safety Act require that all employers have a system to deal with workplace harassment.

This includes:

a. Procedures for workers to safely report any workplace harassment to their employer or supervisor.

b. How the employer will investigate and deal with incidents and complaints of workplace harassment.

If you feel you are being harassed or bullied at work, talk with someone you trust. There are many more in-depth resources online. Your first step to get some advice can be to call the Labour Board to have a discussion.

Congratulations!
You have completed
Unit 4: Problem Solving