Identify Goal
Define Problem
Define Problem
Gather Data
Define Causes
Identify Options
Clarify Problem
Generate Ideas
Evaluate Options
Generate Ideas
Choose the Best Solution
Implement Solution
Select Solution
Take Action
MacLeod offers her own problem solving procedure, which echoes the above steps:
“1. Recognize the Problem: State what you see. Sometimes the problem is covert. 2. Identify: Get the facts — What exactly happened? What is the issue? 3. and 4. Explore and Connect: Dig deeper and encourage group members to relate their similar experiences. Now you're getting more into the feelings and background [of the situation], not just the facts. 5. Possible Solutions: Consider and brainstorm ideas for resolution. 6. Implement: Choose a solution and try it out — this could be role play and/or a discussion of how the solution would be put in place. 7. Evaluate: Revisit to see if the solution was successful or not.”
Many of these problem solving techniques can be used in concert with one another, or multiple can be appropriate for any given problem. It’s less about facilitating a perfect CPS session, and more about encouraging team members to continually think outside the box and push beyond personal boundaries that inhibit their innovative thinking. So, try out several methods, find those that resonate best with your team, and continue adopting new techniques and adapting your processes along the way.
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Feb. 8, 2018 / Strategy
We have a tendency to get in our own way when solving problems, which is why effective strategy requires a formalized approach.
We’ll walk through the barriers we have to solving problems and start to touch on how you can create a problem-solving strategy to overcome them.
There are plenty of reasons why stakeholders act hastily and handle problems ineffectively. The stakeholder might evaluate before investigating, failing to inquire and fully understand the situation. They might struggle with comparing new and old experiences, searching for the familiar rather than the unique in a new problem. They also might confuse symptoms and problems, leading the stakeholders to concentrate on simple concerns, respond automatically, or refuse to explore deeply before acting as mentioned in the book Behavioral Decisions in Organizations by Alvar Elbing. We also know that there are attitudinal and cognitive reasons. These reasons make it difficult to eliminate waste in designing solutions that drive business results or demonstrate outcomes that impact the business.
We have outlined a few reasons below that explain the barriers we commonly face without even realizing it.
Do you ever wonder why we are attracted to the negative or gravitate towards problems, issues and challenges?
The news, Twitter, Facebook, reality shows, and other data channels bombard us with negative stories that put us on high alert. The reason for that is the part of the brain called the amygdala. This is the almond-shaped mass of nuclei located deep within the temporal lobe of the brain. It is a limbic system structure that is involved in many of our emotions and motivations, particularly those that are related to survival.
This early warning system is used as a danger detector in a crisis, wartime skirmishes or when escaping a charging T-Rex. In business, we don’t have to use the same survival skills, but the brain still responds in an instinctive way to negativity and puts us on high alert.
This alertness and our response to negativity create a hyperactive response to protect, explain, and rationalize incredibly complicated situations. We avoid pain and gravitate to pleasure.
There is another phenomenon that we consider when thinking through business and learning challenges, our biases.
These biases occur naturally as a part of working as leaders, sales managers, training managers, and other individuals who are actively identifying issues or challenges in organizations. The two that resonate with us most are confirmation bias and negativity bias.
In confirmation bias, we focus on information that affirms our beliefs and ideas. In our world, this leads to unveiling problems or challenges that aren’t defined well, inaccurate, built on faulty assumptions, or information based on individual or group biases instead of based on real fact.
The second, and more likely bias, is negativity bias. As I noted above, our brain becomes ultra-focused on negativity, and it ultimately impacts our judgment and how we perceive the world. This type of bias can alter how we think through a situation and how we draw conclusions based on the data we have extracted or analyzed.
These days we are under so much pressure to perform and do it quickly.
The Nature of Managerial Work by H. Mintzberg, points out that problem-solving techniques aren’t even used as managers (and others) have a propensity to act in haste to correct situations rather than taking the time to think through them.
This provides context for what we face as a performance partner when we begin to carefully unpack different challenges and opportunities our clients are experiencing. With these challenges in mind, we examine each situation through a lens of many factors, knowing that we are looking for simplicity on the other side of complexity.
The problem-solving methodology we use is a combination of logic, sequencing, and imagination that ultimately creates a systematic thinking process to overcome these human characteristics.
These are the types of considerations that go into analyzing client needs. We explore their needs with a mind for both the positive and the negative problems. Being careful, not to focus simply on those findings that scratch the surface of a situation, but exploring them with a mind for discovery, exploration, and accuracy through the root of the problem(s).
There are some other ways we offset the ill effects of biases and our focus on negativity. We begin each discovery with a working session and stakeholder interviews. These sessions allow us to raise awareness of these biases, explore in collaboration sessions that reveal them, and allow us to discuss in more detail through objective probing and exploration. Lastly, we also conduct “magic wand exercises” to generate options and explore alternatives without limits.
After reviewing these barriers, it probably doesn’t come as a shock that everyone is influenced by our warning system and personal biases. In fact, you could probably think of examples in your own life of a time when you were influenced and how that impacted your problem solving approach. Part of the battle is being aware that these are barriers we will encounter and setting ourselves up to combat that with the right structure and exercises.
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There are a number of barriers to effective decision-making. Effective managers are aware of these potential barriers and try to overcome them as much as possible.
While we might like to think that we can make completely rational decisions, this is often unrealistic given the complex issues faced by managers. Nonrational decision-making is common, especially with nonprogrammed decisions. Since we haven’t faced a particular situation previously, we don’t always know what questions to ask or what information to gather. Even when we have gathered all the possible information, we may not be able to make rational sense of all of it, or to accurately forecast or predict the outcomes of our choice. Bounded rationality is the idea that for complex issues we cannot be completely rational because we cannot fully grasp all the possible alternatives, nor can we understand all the implications of every possible alternative. Our brains have limitations in terms of the amount of information they can process. Similarly, as was alluded to earlier in the chapter, even when managers have the cognitive ability to process all the relevant information, they often must make decisions without first having time to collect all the relevant data—their information is incomplete.
Given the lack of complete information, managers don’t always make the right decision initially, and it may not be clear that a decision was a bad one until after some time has passed. For example, consider a manager who had to choose between two competing software packages that her organization will use on a daily basis to enhance efficiency. She initially chooses the product that was developed by the larger, more well-established company, reasoning that they will have greater financial resources to invest in ensuring that the technology is good. However, after some time it becomes clear that the competing software package is going to be far superior. While the smaller company’s product could be integrated into the organization’s existing systems at little additional expense, the larger company’s product will require a much greater initial investment, as well as substantial ongoing costs for maintaining it. At this point, however, let’s assume that the manager has already paid for the larger company’s (inferior) software. Will she abandon the path that she’s on, accept the loss on the money that’s been invested so far, and switch to the better software? Or will she continue to invest time and money into trying to make the first product work? Escalation of commitment is the tendency of decision makers to remain committed to poor decision, even when doing so leads to increasingly negative outcomes. Once we commit to a decision, we may find it difficult to reevaluate that decision rationally. It can seem easier to “stay the course” than to admit (or to recognize) that a decision was poor. It’s important to acknowledge that not all decisions are going to be good ones, in spite of our best efforts. Effective managers recognize that progress down the wrong path isn’t really progress, and they are willing to reevaluate decisions and change direction when appropriate.
Managers often face time constraints that can make effective decision-making a challenge. When there is little time available to collect information and to rationally process it, we are much less likely to make a good nonprogrammed decision. Time pressures can cause us to rely on heuristics rather than engage in deep processing. While heuristics save time, however, they don’t necessarily lead to the best possible solution. The best managers are constantly assessing the risks associated with acting too quickly against those associated with not acting quickly enough.
In addition, managers frequently make decisions under conditions of uncertainty—they cannot know the outcome of each alternative until they’ve actually chosen that alternative. Consider, for example, a manager who is trying to decide between one of two possible marketing campaigns. The first is more conservative but is consistent with what the organization has done in the past. The second is more modern and edgier, and might bring much better results . . . or it might be a spectacular failure. The manager making the decision will ultimately have to choose one campaign and see what happens, without ever knowing what the results would have been with the alternate campaign. That uncertainty can make it difficult for some managers to make decisions, because committing to one option means forgoing other options.
Our decision-making is also limited by our own biases. We tend to be more comfortable with ideas, concepts, things, and people that are familiar to us or similar to us. We tend to be less comfortable with that which is unfamiliar, new, and different. One of the most common biases that we have, as humans, is the tendency to like other people who we think are similar to us (because we like ourselves). 7 While these similarities can be observable (based on demographic characteristics such as race, gender, and age), they can also be a result of shared experiences (such as attending the same university) or shared interests (such as being in a book club together). This “similar to me” bias and preference for the familiar can lead to a variety of problems for managers: hiring less-qualified applicants because they are similar to the manager in some way, paying more attention to some employees’ opinions and ignoring or discounting others, choosing a familiar technology over a new one that is superior, sticking with a supplier that is known over one that has better quality, and so on.
It can be incredibly difficult to overcome our biases because of the way our brains work. The brain excels at organizing information into categories, and it doesn’t like to expend the effort to re-arrange once the categories are established. As a result, we tend to pay more attention to information that confirms our existing beliefs and less attention to information that is contrary to our beliefs, a shortcoming that is referred to as confirmation bias . 8
In fact, we don’t like our existing beliefs to be challenged. Such challenges feel like a threat, which tends to push our brains towards the reactive system and prevent us from being able to logically process the new information via the reflective system. It is hard to change people’s minds about something if they are already confident in their convictions. So, for example, when a manager hires a new employee who they really like and are convinced is going to be excellent, they will tend to pay attention to examples of excellent performance and ignore examples of poor performance (or attribute those events to things outside the employee’s control). The manager will also tend to trust that employee and therefore accept their explanations for poor performance without verifying the truth or accuracy of those statements. The opposite is also true; if we dislike someone, we will pay attention to their negatives and ignore or discount their positives. We are less likely to trust them or believe what they say at face value. This is why politics tend to become very polarized and antagonistic within a two-party system. It can be very difficult to have accurate perceptions of those we like and those we dislike. The effective manager will try to evaluate situations from multiple perspectives and gather multiple opinions to offset this bias when making decisions.
Finally, effective decision-making can be difficult because of conflict. Most individuals dislike conflict and will avoid it when possible. However, the best decision might be one that is going to involve some conflict. Consider a manager who has a subordinate who is often late to work, causing others to have to step away from their responsibilities in order to cover for the late employee. The manager needs to have a conversation with that employee to correct the behavior, but the employee is not going to like the conversation and may react in a negative way. Both of them are going to be uncomfortable. The situation is likely to involve conflict, which most people find stressful. Yet, the correct decision is still to have the conversation even if (or especially if) the employee otherwise is an asset to the department.
If the bad behavior is not corrected, it will continue, which is going to cause more problems in the workplace in the long run. Other employees may recognize that this behavior is allowed, and they may also start coming to work late or engaging in other negative behaviors. Eventually, some employees may become sufficiently frustrated that they look for another place to work. It’s worth noting that in this situation, the best employees will find new jobs the most quickly. It’s important for managers to recognize that while conflict can be uncomfortable (especially in the short-term), there are times when it is necessary for the group, department, or organization to function effectively in the long run.
It is also helpful to think about conflict in terms of process conflict or relationship conflict. 9 Process conflict, conflict about the best way to do something, can actually lead to improved performance, as individuals explore various options together in order to identify superior solutions. Relationship conflict is conflict between individuals that is more personal and involves attacks on a person rather than an idea. This kind of conflict is generally harmful and should be quelled when possible. The harm from relationship conflict arises at least in part because feeling personally attacked will cause an individual to revert to the reactive system of the brain.
Effective managers should be particularly aware of the possibility of relationship conflict when giving feedback and should keep feedback focused on behaviors and activities (how things are done) rather than on the individual. Being aware of and dealing with relationship conflict points to why emotional intelligence and empathy are beneficial in organizational leaders. Such leaders are more likely to be attentive to the harmful consequences of relationship conflict. The “Managerial Leadership” segment shows how one CEO encourages empathetic collaboration and how that effort is proving beneficial.
Satya nadella’s transformation of microsoft.
When Satya Nadella became the CEO of Microsoft in 2014, he set in motion a major transformation of the organization’s culture. He wanted it to shift from a culture that valued “know-it-alls” to one that values “learn-it-all.” Instead of employees feeling the need to prove that they were the smartest person in the room, he wanted them to become curious and effective listeners, learners, and communicators. Only through continual learning and collaboration with one another, and with customers, would Microsoft remain able to develop and provide great technology solutions.
One of Nadella’s first mandates as CEO was to ask all the members of the top management team to read the book Nonviolent Communication by Marshall Rosenberg. The primary focus of the book is on empathetic communication—a kinder, gentler approach than Microsoft employees were accustomed to. Nadella believes that developing empathy leads to a heightened understanding of consumer needs and wants and an enhanced ability to develop better products and services through collaboration.
Nadella has also embraced diversity and inclusion initiatives, though he readily acknowledges that there is more to be done. This is, in part, an extension of his focus on empathy. However, it’s also good business, because increasing the diversity of perspectives can help to drive innovation.
This cultural shift is reflected in Microsoft’s new mission statement: “To empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.” Empowering every person includes Microsoft’s own employees. Achieving diversity is particularly a challenge in an industry that is male dominated, and Nadella admits that he has made mistakes based on his own biases. At a Women in Computing conference early in his tenure as CEO, Nadella suggested that women did not need to ask for raises when they deserved them; the system, he said, would work it out. He later admitted that he was wrong and used the mistake as a platform for making greater strides in this arena.
Senior management team meetings at Microsoft have apparently changed dramatically as a result of the culture change driven by Nadella. Previously, members felt the need to constantly prove that they knew all the right answers at team meetings. Nadella has established different norms; he seeks out honest opinions from team members and gives positive feedback on a regular basis. By moving the focus away from always being right and toward a focus of continual learning, the culture at Microsoft has become more collaborative, and employees are more willing to take risks to create something amazing. The culture shift seems to be paying off: Microsoft’s products are being described as “cool” and “exciting,” its cloud-computing platform is outperforming the competition, and its financial performance has improved dramatically. Transforming the culture of an organization is a massive undertaking, but Nadella’s leadership of Microsoft clearly shows that it’s a decision that can pay off.
Sources: Kendall Baker, “Confirmed: Microsoft is a legit threat to Apple,” The Hustle , March 16, 2017. Bob Evans, “10 Powerful examples of Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella’s Transformative Vision,” Forbes, July 26, 2017. Harry McCraken, “Satya Nadella Rewrites Microsoft’s Code,” Fast Company , September 18, 2017, https://www.fastcompany.com/40457458/satya-nadella-rewrites-microsofts-code. Annie Palmer, “Microsoft has been reborn under CEO Satya Nadella,” The Street , September 20, 2017.
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One of a manager’s most important responsibilities is to solve problems. Finding the answers to difficult questions that are sometimes a source of great perplexity and distress for the organization often falls to an organization’s leaders.
Here’s the deal:
A company’s success depends on managerial problem-solvers . Issues arrive in all sizes, ranging from daily nuisances to organizational crises.
Managers who have the ability to systematically think through the facts, diagnose the situation, and find an accurate and workable solution will help the business thrive and prosper.
Effective problem-solvers are able to guide teams towards the achievement of goals by eliminating frustration, confusion, and misunderstandings before they become unmanageable.
They build cooperation and collaboration between individuals, eliminate the need for rework, and foster continuous improvement.
The best managers can often sense problems with keen insight.
They may notice a deviation from standard team performance , such as a missed deadline or an unmet sales goal—and when the team’s plans go off the rails, these managers automatically begin the problem-solving process.
Alert managers constantly watch for signals, symptoms, and signs that problems may exist. Once they see a potential issue, they think through whether this is a problem they can solve and whether it will make a critical impact on the team or organization.
Once the problem has been defined as a priority, they create a clear, quantitative problem statement and describe the situation in specific, objective terms without making assumptions or jumping to conclusions.
The best problem-solvers analyze patterns and ask questions about what, who, when, where, and how much the problem has affected the business.
They are able to isolate and define the root cause of the issue so that once it’s been resolved, it’s unlikely to recur.
While problems sometimes come with easy answers, managerial problem-solving cannot be impulsive, risking the mistake of making snap decisions.
Instead, they use techniques like brainstorming ideas, creating prioritized lists, and evaluating the time, cost, and technology involved to assess the situation and design a long-term solution.
Once the best solution has been identified, a good manager develops a solid implementation plan. This plan should include steps that will be taken to move forward, as well as contingency plans that will help the manager handle potential roadblocks.
He or she must also secure the commitment of others, mobilize them to act, and hold them accountable for their responsibilities.
The managerial problem-solving process is a never-ending cycle of planning, doing, checking, and acting, while also monitoring the situation and the outcomes. As needed, managers make adjustments to their plans so that the team can continue to move towards the solution that will lead them to better business results .
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Problem-solving is an essential skill for leaders and managers in both personal and professional life. , whether it’s tackling complex issues or finding solutions to everyday challenges, the ability to overcome obstacles and think critically is crucial. , however, there are common barriers that can hinder the problem-solving process, making it difficult to find effective solutions. , in this comprehensive post, we will explore ten barriers to problem-solving and provide strategies for overcoming them so that you can hone your problem solving skills and solve problems more effectively in your workplace., table of contents, introduction, lack of clarity in problem definition, limited perspective and narrow thinking, confirmation bias: the danger of preconceived notions, communication barriers: breaking down silos, solution bias: avoiding the one-size-fits-all approach, cognitive bias: overcoming jumping to conclusions, lack of empathy: understanding the human element, fear of failure: embracing a growth mindset, insufficient resources and time constraints, lack of collaboration and teamwork, overcoming barriers: strategies for effective problem solving, do you want to solve problems like a pro , get the free problem solving work book here .
Problem-solving is an integral part of our daily lives, whether it’s resolving personal conflicts or finding innovative solutions in the workplace., however, there are common barriers that can impede the problem-solving process, making it challenging to reach effective solutions. , by understanding these barriers and implementing strategies to overcome them,, leaders and managers can enhance their problem-solving skills and achieve better outcomes., 1. lack of clarity in problem definition, one of the primary barriers to effective problem-solving is a lack of clarity in problem definition. , without a clear understanding of the problem at hand, it becomes challenging to devise appropriate solutions. , to overcome this barrier, it is crucial to take the time to define the problem accurately. , this involves gathering relevant information, identifying key stakeholders, and clarifying the desired outcome. , by investing time in problem definition, individuals and teams can lay a solid foundation for the problem-solving process., 2. limited perspective and narrow thinking, another common barrier to problem-solving is limited perspective and narrow thinking., when individuals approach problems with a rigid mindset, they may overlook creative solutions or fail to consider alternative viewpoints., overcoming this barrier requires cultivating a mindset of open-mindedness and embracing diverse perspectives. , encouraging brainstorming sessions, seeking input from different team members, or conducting external research can help broaden perspectives and stimulate innovative thinking., 3. confirmation bias: the danger of preconceived notions, confirmation bias is a cognitive barrier that can hinder problem-solving efforts., it refers to the tendency to search for or interpret information in a way that confirms preexisting beliefs or assumptions., when individuals succumb to confirmation bias, they may overlook contradictory evidence or dismiss alternative solutions., overcoming this barrier requires a conscious effort to challenge one’s own biases and actively seek out diverse viewpoints and information. , encouraging a culture of open debate and critical thinking can help mitigate the effects of confirmation bias., 4. communication barriers: breaking down silos, effective communication is essential for successful problem-solving. , however, communication barriers can impede the flow of information and hinder collaboration. , silos within organisations, where departments or teams operate in isolation, can lead to a lack of shared knowledge and insights. , breaking down these silos and fostering cross-functional collaboration is crucial for overcoming communication barriers. , encouraging open communication channels, promoting knowledge sharing, and facilitating regular team meetings can help ensure that information flows freely and ideas are exchanged effectively., 5. solution bias: avoiding the one-size-fits-all approach, solution bias is a common barrier where individuals tend to rely on previously successful solutions without considering the unique aspects of the current problem. , this one-size-fits-all approach may not be suitable for every situation and can hinder creative problem-solving., overcoming solution bias requires a willingness to explore new approaches and think outside the box. , encouraging experimentation, embracing failure as a learning opportunity, and fostering a culture that values innovation can help individuals and teams overcome solution bias and discover more effective solutions., 6. cognitive bias: overcoming jumping to conclusions, cognitive biases, such as jumping to conclusions, can hinder effective problem-solving., when individuals rely on heuristics or mental shortcuts, they may overlook critical information or make hasty judgments. , overcoming cognitive biases requires a deliberate effort to slow down and engage in critical thinking. , taking the time to gather and analyse relevant data, seeking multiple perspectives, and challenging assumptions can help mitigate the effects of cognitive biases and lead to more informed decision-making., 7. lack of empathy: understanding the human element, problem-solving often involves addressing human concerns and emotions. , failing to consider the human element can hinder the effectiveness of solutions. , developing empathy and understanding the perspectives and needs of others is crucial for overcoming this barrier., actively listening to stakeholders, seeking their input, and considering the impact of solutions on individuals can help ensure that problem-solving efforts are human-centric and yield sustainable outcomes., 8. fear of failure: embracing a growth mindset, fear of failure can paralyse problem-solving efforts and prevent individuals from taking risks or exploring innovative solutions. , overcoming this barrier requires cultivating a growth mindset and embracing failure as an opportunity for learning and growth. , encouraging a safe and supportive environment where mistakes are seen as valuable learning experiences can help individuals overcome their fear of failure and approach problem-solving with confidence and resilience., 9. insufficient resources and time constraints, limited resources and time constraints can pose significant barriers to problem-solving., when individuals are constrained by tight deadlines or lack the necessary resources, finding optimal solutions becomes challenging., overcoming this barrier requires effective resource management and prioritisation., identifying critical resources, delegating tasks, and leveraging available tools and technologies can help individuals maximise their problem-solving capabilities within the given constraints., 10. lack of collaboration and teamwork, collaboration and teamwork are essential for effective problem-solving. , when individuals work in isolation or fail to leverage the collective knowledge and skills of their team members, problem-solving efforts can suffer. , overcoming this barrier requires fostering a collaborative culture and providing opportunities for teamwork. , encouraging open communication, promoting knowledge sharing, and assigning diverse team members to problem-solving tasks can help harness the collective intelligence of the team and lead to more innovative solutions., to overcome the barriers to problem-solving, individuals and teams can adopt several strategies:, develop a problem-solving mindset : cultivate a mindset that embraces challenges and sees them as opportunities for growth and learning., practise active listening : actively listen to stakeholders, seek their input, and consider diverse perspectives to gain a comprehensive understanding of the problem., encourage diverse viewpoints: foster an environment where individuals feel comfortable expressing their opinions and ideas, promoting diverse thinking and avoiding groupthink., embrace creativity and innovatio n: encourage out-of-the-box thinking, experimentation, and the exploration of unconventional solutions., foster collaboration and teamwork: create opportunities for collaboration, knowledge sharing, and interdisciplinary problem-solving., promote continuous learning: encourage ongoing learning and skill development to enhance problem-solving abilities., seek feedback and reflection: regularly solicit feedback from stakeholders and engage in self-reflection to identify areas for improvement., effective problem-solving requires the ability to overcome barriers and think critically. , by recognizing and addressing common barriers such as lack of clarity in problem definition, limited perspective, confirmation bias, communication barriers, solution bias, cognitive bias, lack of empathy, fear of failure, resource constraints, and lack of collaboration, leaders and managers can enhance their problem-solving skills and achieve more effective solutions. , by adopting strategies such as developing a problem-solving mindset, embracing creativity and innovation, and fostering collaboration and continuous learning, individuals can navigate the complexities of problem-solving and drive positive change in their personal and professional lives., problem solving barriers can be overcome by mastering these 13 problem solving skills., read the post -the 13 essential skills of problems solving , i hope you have found the post helpful. , what is your barrier to problem solving please share your thoughts below ., have an awesome day, babita sharma , leadership coach , www.leadwithpassion.co.in, p.s-please share the post and help someone today , related posts:.
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How the best problem-solvers overcome perception bias.
Companies are placing a greater emphasis on selecting, developing, and promoting employees with advanced problem-solving abilities. Research from the World Economic Forum shows that 5 of the top 10 skills employees need to be successful in 2025 are categorized as problem-solving skills (see chart below). This shift marks a tremendous change for employees and their employers.
Top 10 Skills of 2025
Did you know that there are more than 70 identified cognitive biases that impact our human judgment? As human beings, perception bias constantly influences how we assess and judge situations and people. Our perception biases are magnified when we engage with complex work challenges that require successful collaboration to develop winning solutions. The nature of these situations places us at a higher risk for experiencing perception bias because it can easily trigger negative feelings around uncertainty, failure, loss of control, and concerns about relationships. Research shows that negative emotions negatively impact our ability to:
All of these negatively impacted abilities are critically important for successful problem-solving.
1) we think our view is best .
We fail to recognize the constructed nature of our perception. We tend to believe that we see things just like a video recorder does, only capturing the reality that anyone else should readily see. We believe our views, opinions, and conclusions are free of bias from our experiences, personalities, values, and goals.
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Research shows that we regularly underestimate that other well-intentioned and intelligent people seeing the same situation can walk away with a completely different set of meanings and realities than our own. When we think that our conclusions are obvious, we do not believe it is necessary to explain our thinking or inquire why others may have reached a different conclusion. Our natural tendency is to believe anyone who does not see it our way must be misinformed, lazy, crazy, or stupid.
Confirmation bias states that when we have established a belief or conclusion, we are very reluctant to change that perspective, even if introduced to information that is inconsistent with our initial conclusion. This dynamic is made worse by our desire to actively seeking information to confirm our established beliefs while ignoring opposing information.
There are good reasons our mind functions this way, as it serves us well in most situations. Because we do not have the time or mental energy to check all of our established perspectives so we default to routine thinking because it is fast and effortless.
Adding more fuel to the fire is that most of us spend an extraordinary amount of effort avoiding or concealing wrongness. When we are wrong, we experience feelings of embarrassment, incompetence, and humiliation. These negative feelings make it hard to admit when we do not have the correct answer or acknowledge that our beliefs are wrong.
1) great problem-solvers manage negative emotions.
To excel at solving complex and relational problems requires emotional self-awareness, so you can remain mindful about where your thoughts and emotions are taking you. When facing complex challenges that provoke feelings of loss of control, frustration, or threat, emotional awareness allows you to choose behaviors that represent your best self.
Awareness of your emotional triggers and negative feelings helps guard against emotional reactions. Emotional awareness stops you from being reactive to the negative emotions of the moment and allows you to choose actions based on your values and long-term goals.
The best problem-solvers embrace that people have different experiences, information, values, goals, and perceptions. They understand that this diversity of perspective is necessary to create new insights, innovations, and conclusions. This mindset helps mitigate the impact of perception bias by acknowledging up front that you do not have all the expertise, perspectives, and buy-in necessary to resolve the problem.
The ability to ask quality questions is the key to surfacing assumptions, inviting new possibilities, and creating a foundation of trust for generating quality solutions. Benefits for employees who lead with questions when problem-solving include:
The best employees differentiate themselves by being great problem-solvers. Taking time to ask questions before sharing perspectives does not stop employees from sharing their views; it just means that they choose to ask questions and understand additional perspectives before sharing their own. Employees who are skilled at asking questions accelerate learning and problem-solving for themselves, their team, and their organization.
Problems are inevitable at work. They could be big problems. Or they could be small problems. Either way, the trick…
Problems are inevitable at work. They could be big problems. Or they could be small problems.
Either way, the trick is to develop strong problem-solving skills. But it isn’t always easy to find a solution to a problem. You often face many unexpected obstacles on the way.
Imagine a client rejects a proposal for a marketing pitch you and your team worked hard on. In such a situation, you might come up with a quick and easy alternative to retain the client, but in the scramble, you may forget to assess its long-term potential.
Such barriers to problem-solving abound at the workplace. You need to be prepared for potential pitfalls that could trip you up. ( Phentermine )
Effective problem-solving in such situations is a handy skill that’ll help you navigate your way through the professional landscape.
You will find some useful tips on how to deal with some common barriers to effective problem-solving in Harappa Education’s Defining Problems course. The course introduces ways in which you can define, identify and deal with problems in a solution-oriented manner.
Contrary to popular belief, problem-solving takes time and patience. This is something we tend to overlook because quick solutions are often rewarded at the workplace where everyone is busy and pressed for time.
When you stop for a moment to think about what went wrong, you’re more likely to come up with a lasting solution. Here are the most common barriers to problem-solving and decision-making in the workplace:
Common barriers to problem-solving include an incorrect diagnosis of the problem. This could be due to preconceived ideas, biases, or judgments. Defining a problem is the hardest step in the process of problem-solving because this is the foundation on which your entire strategy is built. If you’re not careful, you may end up spending all your time, resources and effort on the wrong problem and, eventually, the wrong solution.
Thinking that you know better than anyone else or miscommunicating the problem is another one of the barriers to problem-solving. Everyone defines or understands the problem differently. It’s important to communicate with your teammates so that everyone’s on the same page. If you’re unclear about something, acknowledge your limited understanding of the problem. This will save you both time and energy.
Another common challenge is a solution bias or thinking that one solution is universal and can be applied to multiple problems. If you catch yourself thinking about a problem that you solved in a particular way, you’re already going in the wrong direction. It’s more important for you to focus on the problem at hand than to force-fit a solution from the past that, in all probability, won’t work.
Barriers to problem solving psychology often involve a cognitive bias or the tendency to jump to conclusions. To find a solution as quickly as possible, you might end up with a solution that’s irrelevant to the situation. You have to learn to listen before making a judgment. If you miss a step, for instance, there’s a chance that you’ll end up in an even bigger mess.
Every problem is in one way or another associated with human emotions, abilities or feelings. If you’re not able to recognize the people who are affected by the problem, you won’t be able to come up with a solution that serves everyone.
Some of the ways in which you can tackle common barriers to problem-solving are:
Navigating your way through the complexities of work-life can be daunting, but it’s not impossible. Harappa’s Defining Problems course equips you with the tools you need to recognize a problem for what it is. Learn more about barriers to effective problem-solving and how to identify or define problems to become a skilled problem-solver. With frameworks such as the Problem Definition Framework, you’ll be able to define problems effectively and find constructive solutions.
Explore topics such as Problem Solving & the 5 Whys Analysis from our Harappa Diaries blog section and develop your skills.
Table of Contents
Problem-solving is a vital skill for managers, as it enables them to identify, analyze, and resolve issues effectively. In a managerial context, problem-solving strategies involve several essential elements to ensure success. In this section, we’ll discuss the fundamental components of effective managerial problem-solving.
1. Defining the Problem
Clearly identifying the problem is the first step in effective problem-solving. Managers must accurately assess the situation, gather relevant information, and determine the root cause of the issue. This allows for the development of targeted solutions that directly address the underlying problem.
2. Analyzing the Problem
Once the problem has been defined, managers must analyze the issue from multiple perspectives. This involves considering the problem’s impact on various stakeholders, the resources available to address the issue, and the potential consequences of different actions. Analyzing the problem thoroughly helps managers make well-informed decisions.
3. Generating Solutions
The next step involves brainstorming and generating a wide range of potential solutions. Managers should encourage creative thinking and open discussions among team members. This process promotes the development of innovative and effective ideas to address the problem at hand.
4. Evaluating and Selecting Solutions
After generating potential solutions, managers must carefully evaluate each option based on their feasibility, cost-effectiveness, and potential impact. This process helps in narrowing down the list of potential solutions and selecting the best one. Managers should consider both short-term and long-term consequences of each solution to ensure the chosen strategy aligns with organizational goals.
5. Implementing the Chosen Solution
Once a solution has been selected, managers must develop a detailed action plan to implement it. This involves assigning tasks and responsibilities to team members, setting deadlines, and allocating resources. Effective communication is crucial during this stage to ensure everyone understands their role in implementing the solution.
6. Monitoring and Reviewing Progress
After the solution has been implemented, managers must continuously monitor and review its progress to ensure it is effectively addressing the problem. This involves tracking key performance indicators (KPIs), gathering feedback from stakeholders, and making adjustments as necessary. Regular review helps identify any potential issues early on, allowing for timely corrective action.
7. Learning and Continuous Improvement
Effective problem-solving is an ongoing process that involves learning from past experiences and continuously improving strategies. Managers should encourage a culture of continuous learning and improvement within the organization. This involves reflecting on the problem-solving process, identifying areas for improvement, and implementing changes to enhance future problem-solving efforts.
By incorporating these essential elements into their problem-solving strategies, managers can effectively address issues and make informed decisions that benefit the organization and its stakeholders.
Effective decision-making is crucial for managers to navigate complex business situations and lead their teams towards success. By employing various problem-solving strategies, managers can enhance their decision-making capabilities. Here are some top managerial problem-solving strategies to improve decision-making:
1. Root Cause Analysis
Root cause analysis is a systematic approach to identifying the underlying cause of a problem. By addressing the root cause, managers can prevent the issue from recurring and find long-lasting solutions. Techniques like the 5 Whys and Fishbone Diagram (Ishikawa Diagram) can be employed for effective root cause analysis.
2. Brainstorming
Brainstorming is a creative process that encourages the free flow of ideas from all team members. By fostering an open and inclusive environment, managers can generate a diverse range of potential solutions and gain valuable insights from different perspectives. This approach leads to innovative solutions and improved decision-making.
3. SWOT Analysis
A SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) analysis is a strategic planning tool that helps managers assess their organization’s internal and external factors. By evaluating these factors, managers can identify potential opportunities and challenges, leading to more informed decision-making.
4. Cost-Benefit Analysis
The cost-benefit analysis involves comparing the costs and benefits associated with each potential solution to determine the most effective course of action. This strategy helps managers make data-driven decisions based on the potential return on investment (ROI) and the overall impact of each solution.
5. Decision Matrix
A decision matrix is a quantitative tool that helps managers compare different options based on specific criteria. By assigning weights to each criterion and scoring the options, managers can rank the solutions and choose the best one. This structured approach ensures a more objective and rational decision-making process.
6. Scenario Planning
Scenario planning involves envisioning multiple possible future scenarios and assessing the potential impact of each on the organization. By considering different outcomes, managers can make more informed decisions and develop contingency plans to adapt to changing circumstances.
7. Proactive Problem-Solving
Proactive problem-solving involves anticipating potential issues and developing strategies to mitigate them before they occur. By regularly reviewing processes, analyzing trends, and seeking feedback, managers can identify potential problems early on and take preventive action.
8. Collaborative Problem-Solving
Collaborative problem-solving involves working closely with team members and stakeholders to develop and implement solutions. By leveraging the collective knowledge and expertise of the group, managers can arrive at more effective and well-rounded decisions.
By employing these managerial problem-solving strategies, managers can enhance their decision-making abilities and lead their teams more effectively. Incorporating a diverse range of approaches will help managers navigate various challenges and make better-informed decisions that drive organizational success.
Effectively implementing problem-solving strategies is crucial for managers to address challenges and make informed decisions. Here is a practical, step-by-step guide to implementing problem-solving strategies in a managerial setting:
Step 1: Identify the Problem
Start by clearly defining the issue you are facing. Gather all relevant information, assess the situation, and determine the root cause of the problem. Make sure you have a comprehensive understanding of the problem before moving forward.
Step 2: Assemble a Problem-Solving Team
Select a diverse group of team members with different skill sets and perspectives to form a problem-solving team. Ensure that the team is equipped with the necessary resources and authority to address the issue.
Step 3: Choose an Appropriate Problem-Solving Strategy
Based on the nature of the problem and your organizational context, choose a problem-solving strategy that best fits your needs. Consider factors like time constraints, available resources, and the complexity of the issue when selecting a strategy.
Step 4: Analyze the Problem
Thoroughly analyze the issue from multiple perspectives, considering its impact on various stakeholders, available resources, and potential consequences of different actions. Use tools like SWOT analysis or root cause analysis to gain a deeper understanding of the problem.
Step 5: Generate Potential Solutions
Encourage open discussions and brainstorming sessions with your team to generate a wide range of potential solutions. Ensure that all team members have the opportunity to contribute their ideas and perspectives.
Step 6: Evaluate and Select the Best Solution
Carefully evaluate each proposed solution based on factors such as feasibility, cost-effectiveness, and potential impact. Use tools like cost-benefit analysis or a decision matrix to help guide your decision-making process. Once you have assessed all options, choose the best solution that aligns with your organizational goals and addresses the root cause of the problem.
Step 7: Develop an Implementation Plan
Create a detailed action plan outlining the steps needed to implement the chosen solution. Assign specific tasks and responsibilities to team members, set deadlines, and allocate the necessary resources. Ensure that everyone involved understands their role and the expectations.
Step 8: Communicate the Plan
Effectively communicate the implementation plan to all relevant stakeholders, including your team, other departments, and upper management. Make sure everyone is aware of the chosen solution, the rationale behind it, and their role in the process.
Step 9: Implement the Solution
Monitor the progress of the solution implementation closely and provide support to your team as needed. Be prepared to make adjustments to the plan if unforeseen challenges arise.
Step 10: Evaluate and Review the Results
After the solution has been implemented, evaluate its effectiveness by tracking key performance indicators (KPIs) and gathering feedback from stakeholders. Assess whether the solution has successfully addressed the problem and identify any areas for improvement.
Step 11: Learn and Adapt
Reflect on the problem-solving process and use the insights gained to improve future problem-solving efforts. Foster a culture of continuous learning and improvement within your organization to enhance overall performance.
By following this step-by-step guide, managers can effectively implement problem-solving strategies and address challenges in a systematic and organized manner. This approach will lead to better decision-making and improved organizational performance.
Managers often encounter various challenges when solving problems, which can hinder the effectiveness of their problem-solving strategies. Identifying these barriers and finding ways to overcome them is crucial for successful problem-solving. Here are some common challenges and tips to overcome them:
Challenge: Managers sometimes struggle to define the problem clearly, leading to ineffective solutions that do not address the root cause.
Solution: Invest time in understanding the issue, gather relevant information, and use tools like the 5 Whys or Fishbone Diagram to determine the root cause. A clear problem definition will guide the problem-solving process and ensure more targeted solutions.
Challenge: Limited access to information or resources can hinder the problem-solving process and lead to suboptimal decisions.
Solution: Seek out additional data sources, consult with experts, or leverage your network to gather more information. Assess the available resources and consider reallocating them to address the problem effectively.
Challenge: Groupthink can occur when team members conform to the dominant opinion, resulting in a lack of diverse perspectives and innovative solutions.
Solution: Encourage open communication and create an environment where team members feel comfortable sharing their ideas. Include diverse perspectives by involving people from different backgrounds, departments, or roles in the problem-solving process.
Challenge: Tight deadlines and time pressure can lead to rushed decisions and poorly thought-out solutions.
Solution: Prioritize tasks and allocate sufficient time for each step of the problem-solving process. If necessary, break the problem down into smaller, more manageable parts and address them sequentially.
Challenge: Implementing new solutions may face resistance from team members or stakeholders, who are reluctant to change existing processes or practices.
Solution: Communicate the rationale behind the chosen solution clearly, address concerns, and involve stakeholders in the problem-solving process. Demonstrating the benefits of the change and providing support during the transition can help overcome resistance.
Challenge: Poor communication can result in misunderstandings, misaligned expectations, and suboptimal solutions.
S olution: Develop strong communication skills and use clear, concise language when discussing the problem and potential solutions. Ensure all team members and stakeholders are on the same page and understand their roles in the problem-solving process.
Challenge: Managers may struggle to evaluate the effectiveness of their problem-solving strategies due to a lack of measurable outcomes.
Solution: Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) to track the progress and effectiveness of the implemented solution. Regularly review the results and make adjustments as needed to improve the problem-solving strategy.
By recognizing and addressing these common challenges , managers can overcome barriers to effective problem-solving and make more informed decisions that benefit their organizations.
Emotional intelligence (EI) plays a significant role in effective problem-solving and decision-making for managers. EI refers to the ability to recognize, understand, and manage one’s emotions and the emotions of others. Integrating emotional intelligence into managerial problem-solving strategies can lead to better decision-making, improved team dynamics , and increased organizational success. Here are some ways in which emotional intelligence contributes to effective problem-solving for managers:
Emotionally intelligent managers can put themselves in others’ shoes, enabling them to understand different perspectives and consider the impact of potential solutions on various stakeholders. This broader perspective helps in the development of well-rounded, inclusive solutions that address diverse needs and concerns.
Emotionally intelligent managers are skilled at expressing their thoughts and ideas clearly and empathetically. They can also actively listen and respond to the concerns and ideas of others. Effective communication is essential in the problem-solving process, as it facilitates open discussion, collaborative decision-making, and smooth implementation of solutions.
Managers with high emotional intelligence can regulate their emotions during stressful or challenging situations. By staying calm and composed, they can make more rational and objective decisions, ensuring that their problem-solving strategies are not clouded by emotional biases or stress-induced reactions.
Emotionally intelligent managers can navigate conflicts and disagreements effectively, turning potentially destructive situations into opportunities for growth and collaboration. By addressing the underlying emotions and fostering open communication, managers can resolve conflicts in a way that strengthens relationships and enhances the problem-solving process.
Managers with high emotional intelligence can effectively motivate and engage their teams during the problem-solving process. They can recognize the emotions and needs of team members, provide support, and create a positive work environment that encourages participation, creativity, and commitment to shared goals.
Emotionally intelligent managers can adapt to changing circumstances and bounce back from setbacks during the problem-solving process. Their resilience and ability to manage emotions help them maintain focus and stay committed to finding effective solutions, even in the face of adversity.
Emotional intelligence enables managers to build strong relationships with their team members and other stakeholders based on trust, understanding, and mutual respect. This fosters a collaborative work environment where individuals feel comfortable sharing their ideas, contributing to more effective problem-solving and decision-making.
Incorporating emotional intelligence into managerial problem-solving strategies is essential for effective decision-making, strong team dynamics , and overall organizational success. By developing their emotional intelligence skills, managers can enhance their problem-solving abilities and make more informed, empathetic decisions that benefit all stakeholders.
Here are three real-life examples of successful problem-solving strategies employed by managers in various industries:
Industry: Automotive Manufacturing
Toyota, a leading automobile manufacturer, is well-known for its effective problem-solving strategies, particularly the 5 Whys technique. This approach involves asking “why” five times to identify the root cause of a problem. In one instance, Toyota faced issues with its assembly line , where a welding robot stopped working, causing a production delay. The manager employed the 5 Whys technique, which led to the discovery that the root cause was a lack of proper maintenance on the robot’s electrical components. By addressing the core issue, Toyota not only solved the immediate problem but also implemented preventive measures to avoid similar issues in the future.
Industry: Food and Beverage
In 2008, Starbucks faced a significant decline in sales due to increased competition and the global financial crisis. The company’s CEO, Howard Schultz, decided to close all Starbucks stores for a day to engage the entire organization in a collaborative problem-solving effort. Employees were asked to share their ideas and suggestions on how to improve the company’s performance. This inclusive approach led to several innovative solutions, such as revamping the menu, improving the in-store experience, and expanding the company’s digital presence. By involving employees at all levels, Starbucks successfully turned around its business and re-established its position as a market leader.
Industry: Toy Manufacturing
In the early 2000s, LEGO faced severe financial difficulties due to a combination of factors, including increased competition, changing consumer preferences, and an overly diversified product portfolio. The company’s management team decided to employ scenario planning as a problem-solving strategy to envision various future scenarios and their potential impact on the business. This exercise helped LEGO identify its core strengths and prioritize strategic initiatives , such as streamlining its product portfolio, focusing on innovation, and leveraging digital technologies. By employing scenario planning, LEGO was able to make informed decisions that ultimately led to a successful turnaround and a resurgence in its popularity.
These case studies demonstrate how effective problem-solving strategies can be employed by managers across different industries to address complex challenges and drive organizational success. By adopting a systematic and collaborative approach to problem-solving, managers can develop innovative solutions, make better-informed decisions, and improve the overall performance of their organizations.
The business landscape is evolving rapidly, driven by factors such as globalization, technological advancements, and shifting consumer preferences. As a result, managers must adapt their problem-solving strategies to meet the demands of this changing environment. Here are some ways in which managerial problem-solving strategies must evolve to stay relevant and effective:
Managers must become adept at leveraging digital technologies, such as data analytics, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning, to enhance their problem-solving capabilities. These technologies can help managers make data-driven decisions, automate routine tasks, and gain valuable insights into customer behavior and market trends. By incorporating digital technologies into their problem-solving strategies, managers can improve efficiency, accuracy, and innovation.
In a rapidly changing business environment, the ability to adapt quickly to new challenges and opportunities is crucial. Managers must develop agile problem-solving strategies that allow them to pivot and adjust their approach as needed. This may involve adopting iterative processes, embracing a fail-fast mentality, and fostering a culture of continuous learning and improvement.
To stay competitive in a constantly evolving landscape, managers must prioritize innovation and creativity in their problem-solving strategies. This involves encouraging a culture of experimentation, embracing risk-taking, and empowering employees to think outside the box. By fostering an environment that supports innovation, managers can drive organizational growth and stay ahead of emerging trends and challenges.
As businesses become more interconnected and complex, managers must facilitate cross-functional collaboration to address multifaceted problems effectively. This includes breaking down silos, fostering open communication, and leveraging the diverse skills and expertise of employees across the organization. By promoting cross-functional problem-solving, managers can develop comprehensive solutions that address various aspects of a problem.
In an increasingly eco-conscious and socially aware business landscape, managers must consider the environmental and social impacts of their problem-solving strategies. This involves integrating sustainability and social responsibility into decision-making processes and evaluating potential solutions based on their long-term consequences. By prioritizing sustainable and responsible problem-solving, managers can contribute to the overall well-being of society and the environment while also enhancing their organization’s reputation and competitiveness.
Globalization has made the business landscape more interconnected than ever before. Managers must develop a global mindset and consider the implications of their problem-solving strategies on diverse stakeholders, markets, and cultures. By adopting a global perspective, managers can make more informed decisions and develop solutions that resonate with audiences worldwide.
Evaluating the effectiveness of your problem-solving strategies is crucial for continuous improvement and ensuring that your decisions lead to the desired outcomes. Here are some tips on how to track and measure the success of your managerial problem-solving strategies:
Before implementing a problem-solving strategy, define clear objectives and set measurable KPIs to track progress and success. KPIs should be specific, quantifiable, and relevant to the problem at hand. They will serve as a benchmark to evaluate the effectiveness of your strategy and help you determine if adjustments are needed.
Regularly review the progress of your problem-solving strategy by comparing the actual results against your KPIs. This will help you identify any deviations from the plan, allowing you to address issues promptly and make necessary adjustments. Establish a consistent schedule for monitoring progress, whether it’s weekly, monthly, or quarterly, depending on the nature of the problem and the strategy implemented.
Involve relevant stakeholders, such as team members, customers, or suppliers, in the evaluation process. Seek their feedback on the effectiveness of the problem-solving strategy and its impact on their work or experience. This qualitative input can provide valuable insights into areas for improvement and help you fine-tune your approach.
After the completion of your problem-solving strategy, conduct a post-implementation review to assess its overall effectiveness. Analyze the outcomes, compare them against your initial objectives and KPIs, and identify any lessons learned. This review will help you understand what worked well, what didn’t, and how you can improve your problem-solving strategies moving forward.
Leverage data analytics tools to measure the success of your problem-solving strategies. These tools can help you collect, analyze, and visualize data, making it easier to identify trends, patterns, and areas for improvement. By harnessing the power of data analytics, you can make more informed decisions about your problem-solving strategies and their effectiveness.
Compare the results of your problem-solving strategies against industry standards or competitors to gain an understanding of your relative performance. This benchmarking can provide valuable insights into your organization’s strengths and weaknesses, helping you identify areas for improvement and opportunities for growth.
Evaluate the effectiveness of your problem-solving strategies by considering their impact on your organization’s broader goals and objectives. Assess how the implemented solutions contribute to the overall success of the company and whether they align with your strategic vision.
By tracking and evaluating the success of your managerial problem-solving strategies, you can ensure their effectiveness, make informed adjustments, and drive continuous improvement. Remember that problem-solving is an ongoing process, and regular evaluation is essential for maximizing the positive impact of your strategies on your organization.
Effective managerial problem-solving strategies are crucial for organizational success in today’s rapidly evolving business environment. By understanding and implementing a range of problem-solving approaches, overcoming common barriers, and leveraging emotional intelligence, managers can make informed decisions that benefit their organizations. Adapting to the changing business landscape, fostering collaboration, and continuously evaluating the success of problem-solving strategies are essential for staying ahead of the competition and driving sustainable growth.
22 Feb 2021
| 9 min read
Managers can lead team members to success, and the satisfaction of watching your team grow as people and witnessing their wins is a great professional achievement.
But it’s not all plain sailing. When you’re responsible for the development of your employees and the success of your team, there are tough moments along the way. The challenges of managing a team also change with the external business environment, so even when you feel settled into your role, it can all change very quickly.
To find out what managers are facing today, we took a look at some of the top challenges and ways to overcome them.
As a manager, there can often be an element of distance from the rest of the team. This creates one of the biggest challenges for managers – bridging the distance with effective and timely communication skills.
Good managers need to develop advanced listening and speaking skills as they play a huge role in the success of their team. ‘A lack of interdepartmental communications’ has been found to be one of the biggest causes of stress for UK employees in 2020. This means that when a manager isn’t communicating well with their team about business matters or individual progress, not only could it be damaging the manager-employee relationship, but it could also be greatly adding to employees’ work-related stress.
How to overcome this:
Everyone communicates differently – some methods of communication may work well for some employees, but won’t work for others. The best way to overcome any communication blockers is to discover the different personality types in your team.
Conducting personality tests is a great way to find each team member’s strengths and weaknesses, how these different personality types communicate best and what they’ll respond best to.
Some great personality tests include 16personalities , the four tendencies quiz or, of course, there’s always the more traditional route of Myers Briggs . Whichever personality test you chose, the results will allow you to better manage your team, communicate more effectively and be more understanding of any weaknesses.
Performance problems are always going to be a concern for any manager. But in today’s fierce business environment, if your teams aren’t performing to a high standard, a competitor could easily come in and take your customer’s business.
You need to get to the root of any problems quickly. But be careful – managers have the tricky job of finding the balance of getting the results you need and not damaging any relationships with your team members in the process. If you put your ‘strict manager’ hat on too soon, you risk damaging the trust with other members of your team too.
If employees don’t have clear targets and goals in place, it can be easy to fall short of what is expected.
Clearly communicate targets and outline expected results to each of your team members. This way, if any results are falling short, you’re able to tackle the problem head-on by comparing expectations to actual performance.
Make sure that you’re continuously monitoring actual performance in comparison to these set targets. You can then spot any problems early on and provide constructive feedback – helping to avoid larger issues down the line.
If performance doesn’t improve, this is the time to follow up with a clear and fair discipline process.
Managing a demoted employee is hard, but letting one go is harder. This will probably always be the hardest part of any manager’s job – and it’s something you never want to get too comfortable doing.
Unfortunately, there’s no easy way around this one and it doesn’t become any easier, no matter how much experience you have.
If you haven’t already received training, follow up with your HR team to ensure that you have undertaken management training for how to act in the case of severe violations of business conduct. This will ensure that you follow all the right processes and policies and avoid any negative repercussions.
Before letting employees go, you should consider conducting a root cause analysis to see if there is any way to keep them on your team.
So many candidates out there might have the experience and skills that you might be looking for and they’re probably perfectly capable to do the job. But this doesn’t mean they’re a perfect match to join your team.
A good manager is able to decipher between a good skills hire and a good cultural fit. Finding the right blend of both.
If you make a wrong decision in the hiring process, it can quickly affect your team's morale and performance. You'll also have to deal with the other problems we've outlined here, so making the right decision in the first place is a must.
Create a strong selection process and don’t just choose candidates on a “feeling”. Using selection assessments can help to show how the candidate would react in certain situations and give you a little more insight into what they’re like as an employee.
Further, try and get other members of your team involved in the process so you can get a second opinion. This will also help you to find out if the candidate would be a good fit for your team, which can eliminate problems further down the line.
In a dream world, your team works well together. They’re great collaborators, feel comfortable being creative together and get on socially. Unfortunately, this dream doesn’t always come true. And when a conflict arises between two colleagues, it can be felt throughout the team.
When conflicts aren’t resolved, they can quickly affect productivity and morale – and even lead to top performers leaving the company. Managers are tasked with nipping any conflicts in the bud early, before they become bigger concerns.
When a conflict between team members arises, it's important that you fully understand the issue before you take any action. A conflict over an area of work can be healthy and can actually lead to more innovative thinking and solutions – but it’s your job to nurture the conflict into a productive direction.
When a conflict between colleagues is personal, you should step in before it begins to affect the working relationship and the rest of the team.
One way to navigate conflict is to remind your team of your company’s culture and values. When your company values are built around trust, respect and positivity, and you hire for these values, personal conflicts based on personality should be minimised.
Communicating these expectations from the start will make the type of behaviour you expect and will tolerate clear during the recruitment process. This means there’s little room for deviation in the workplace.
If a conflict does arise, conduct a fair and frank discussion. By being there as a voice of reason, employees may quickly be able to come to a resolution.
Today, skills are becoming more and more specialised, so if you have a talented employee, you’ll want to do your utmost to keep them. But if you’re not offering your employees what they’re worth, someone else will.
A challenge as a manager today is ensuring that your talented staff are supported, learning new skills, have a clear path of progression and are happy in their role.
A further challenge comes as remote working continues to rise, employees are no longer limited to roles by location – so you’ll have to work even harder to retain your star employees.
Make sure your employees know how much you care and appreciate them. Paying your employees what they’re worth is always a priority, but you can expand on the offering through regular rewards and recognition or exciting benefits and perks .
7. creating calm and reassurance in periods of turbulence.
As businesses are developing and changing, they can bring a wealth of exciting opportunities. Unfortunately, these can occasionally bring less exciting consequences too.
Today’s fast-paced business environment includes scenarios such as redundancies. These situations can cause feelings of uncertainty, confusion and frustration among teams – which managers have the extremely difficult job of handling.
If a redundancy situation arises, it’s likely that, even as a manager, you may not know all the information until any final decisions have been made.
At this time your main priority becomes reassuring your employees and openly communicating what you can.
When you keep the communication open with your employees and you welcome questions, you’ll keep their trust and reduce their frustrations as much as you can.
In turn, they’ll be reassured that when you know any updates, they’ll know them too.
One of the hot topics in the business world over the past year has been burnout. A recent survey by Gallup found that out of 7,500 full-time employees, 23% said they felt burnout more often than not, with an additional 44% feeling burnt out sometimes. As a manager, finding the balance between great performance and taking care of both your own and your team’s health is vitally important.
Managers that don’t take time away from work and never recharge their batteries end up burning out. Not only does this harm your own wellbeing and engagement, but it also sets an unrealistic example for your employees.
When managers act in this way, a culture that normalises overworking can sweep through the office – ultimately damaging productivity and morale.
People are at their most productive when they’re refreshed, happy and healthy. And, no surprise, this doesn’t come from working overly long hours or taking on extreme workloads.
Set an example by taking regular breaks and using your annual leave to recharge your batteries. When you do this, you let your employees know that you want them to do the same.
Take a look at our reducing anxiety, burnout and loneliness checklist for more ideas on how to boost your teams' wellbeing.
As much as you might want them to be, not every task that you need your employees to complete is going to be an exciting one.
This is where one of a manager’s main challenges comes to light – you have to work to motivate your employees in all situations.
A key skill that you can develop is the ability to show the bigger picture. While your employees might not see some tasks as fitting into the career dream, elements from the task will still be important to their long-term goals. It’s your job to highlight and present the importance of such tasks to your teams to inspire motivation.
Get your teams excited about the future and what it will take to get there. By constantly communicating your businesses plans and goals (perhaps with the help of an employee loyalty program ), your employees will see that you’re excited about the company’s future – filtering the positivity on to them.
The constant need to ensure the workforce is up-to-date on the latest trends, knowledge and skills is a big challenge facing managers today.
Skills are constantly becoming outdated, so as a manager it's important that you constantly nurture knowledge and inspire growth in your teams.
Managers need to provide a way for their staff to stay up-to-date and adapt to advancing knowledge. E-learning can be a great way to help bridge the skills gap and help your teams to be constantly evolving.
When employees are regularly refreshing and learning new skills, they’ll be ready to face any challenges that may come their way. This can also be a great way to help increase staff retention as employees can see that their progression and knowledge is being invested in.
Care for, connect with and celebrate your employees.
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There’s a widespread understanding that managing corporate culture is key to business success. Yet few companies articulate their culture in such a way that the words become an organizational reality that molds employee behavior as intended.
All too often a culture is described as a set of anodyne norms, principles, or values, which do not offer decision-makers guidance on how to make difficult choices when faced with conflicting but equally defensible courses of action.
The trick to making a desired culture come alive is to debate and articulate it using dilemmas. If you identify the tough dilemmas your employees routinely face and clearly state how they should be resolved—“In this company, when we come across this dilemma, we turn left”—then your desired culture will take root and influence the behavior of the team.
To develop a culture that works, follow six rules: Ground your culture in the dilemmas you are likely to confront, dilemma-test your values, communicate your values in colorful terms, hire people who fit, let culture drive strategy, and know when to pull back from a value statement.
Start by thinking about the dilemmas your people will face.
The problem.
There’s a widespread understanding that managing corporate culture is key to business success. Yet few companies articulate their corporate culture in such a way that the words become an organizational reality that molds employee behavior as intended.
How to fix it.
Follow six rules: Ground your culture in the dilemmas you are likely to confront, dilemma-test your values, communicate your values in colorful terms, hire people who fit, let culture drive strategy, and know when to pull back from a value.
At the beginning of my career, I worked for the health-care-software specialist HBOC. One day, a woman from human resources came into the cafeteria with a roll of tape and began sticking posters on the walls. They proclaimed in royal blue the company’s values: “Transparency, Respect, Integrity, Honesty.” The next day we received wallet-sized plastic cards with the same words and were asked to memorize them so that we could incorporate them into our actions. The following year, when management was indicted on 17 counts of conspiracy and fraud, we learned what the company’s values really were.
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The purpose of this chapter is to investigate the difficulties within partnerships, the problems to be solved. The UN state that 'partnerships' are essential for implementation of the SDGs but also acknowledge that many barriers must be overcome. This is evidenced by the UN Economic and Social Council special event; '2015 Multi-Stakeholder partnerships: Making them work, for the Post 2015 Development Agenda'. There were many obstacles during the Health, Well-being and Physical Education (HW & PE) project and insights are shared for the benefit of stakeholders in a similar context.
Timothy Lynch
This chapter introduces the partnership story, offering guidance to various local and global community stakeholders in understanding contemporary directions and future priorities for Health, Wellbeing, and Physical Education (HW & PE). According to the United Nations (UN), 'partnerships' are essential for implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), and subsequently, continued efforts towards equality in health and wellbeing. Hence, the partnership journey is significant as it offers insight to the future of HW & PE. This story is timely as ground level 'partnerships in action' forms a present gap in research. This story is about partnerships, educational opportunities, trials and tribulations , learning successes, and gratitude. The storyline presented inter-weaves narrative threads to emerge ideas, themes, and patterns (Ewing 2010). The purpose of the text is to offer guidance to various local and global community stakeholders in understanding contemporary directions and future priorities for Health, Wellbeing, and Physical Education (HW & PE). According to the United Nations (UN) 'partnerships' are essential for implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and continued efforts towards equality in health and wellbeing. The partnerships in this storyline are, namely, community collaborations between primary schools, universities, and community-based sports organisations
The purpose of sharing this partnership story is to promote quality learning experiences in physical education, and subsequent promotion of health and wellbeing. Data gathered suggest the learning opportunities created through partnerships were relevant, engaging, contemporary, physically active, enjoyable, and developmentally appropriate for all stakeholders, namely, Initial Teacher Education (ITE) university pre-service teachers, primary school children, and primary teachers. This story is about the localisation of non-funded partnerships in Gippsland, Victoria, Australia. Stakeholders were predominantly of the Australian national level but were also international.
Abstract: This paper shares a health and wellbeing partnership, modelling implementation of physical education (PE) advocated by the United Nations (UN). The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) exemplifies global efforts towards equality, specifically Goal 3 and 4 address health and wellbeing. The purpose of this paper is to provide insights into cross sector “partnerships”, identified as essential for the implementation of the SDGs. This is significant as the UN acknowledge a present gap of information on partnerships in action and a need for reporting from the ground level. The project “Best Start: A community collaborative approach to lifelong health and wellness”, began as a partnership between a university and nearby schools and quickly grew to involve Australian Registered Training Organisations, the local health industry, Education departments and sport governing bodies. The collaborations involved pre-service teachers teaching Health and PE lessons to children in a disadvantaged socio-economic area, creating valuable learning experiences for stakeholders.Local and global communities were involved in research and reform. The project creatively optimised resources available through state, Australian and international connections. International partnerships enabled identification of unique contextual opportunities. Programme planning was strengthened with data gathered from an England and Wales Ofsted awarded Primary Physical Education course. Various methods, including; semi-structured interviews, reflective journal, observations, document analysis, and Student Evaluation of Teaching Units (SETU) were adopted. SETU is valid and reliable data collected by the university for the purposes of research. The findings support that partnerships enable SDG implementation and the research paper offers direction for localisation.
Australian and International Journal of Rural Education
Monash University (Gippsland campus) is situated in Churchill, Latrobe Valley, located in central Gippsland, eastern Victoria. A large percentage of the Gippsland region comprises of a socio-economically disadvantaged population (Figure 1). In Semester One, 2011 as part of the Bachelor of Primary Education course at Monash, it was decided that a pathway be created to achieve these national ideals and goals through the implementation of swimming and water safety education in Primary schools. Swimming and water safety education represents the specific curriculum to be implemented in rural schools, it is representative of any aspect of the curriculum to be delivered. This paper comprises a narrative memoir by the author of his involvement in the pathway and subsequently the paper sheds light on the barriers, benefits and strategies for implementing such policies in practice.
This chapter investigates a successful teacher education programme in the UK, awarded 'Outstanding' by England's Offi ce for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills. Furthermore, the success of the programme was explicitly contributed by established partnerships with nearby schools. This course, at the time, was not offered within Australia. This study offered valuable insight into a successful primary teacher education programme/course, illustrated good practice, and subsequently, offered possible improvements to the preparation of pre-service primary teachers in Gippsland, Australia.
Sustainability of partnerships requires problem solving, which considers ‘context’. The context setting within this partnership was Latrobe Valley, Gippsland (Victoria, Australia), but it was also heavily influenced at the time by the Australian national curriculum reform and national HW & PE initiatives. The national curriculum was underpinned by the socio-cultural perspective and explicitly espoused the permeation of a ‘futures perspective’ in health, quality teaching, and teacher education. What began as a pathway seed quickly grew to involve multi-stakeholder partnerships; Australian universities, schools, Australian Registered Training Organisations (RTO), the local health industry (local leisure, and sports centre), Education departments, sport governing bodies at the national level, and a world leading international Initial Teacher Education (ITE) university course in the UK.
This chapter shares the very beginnings of the partnership journey , metaphorically as a seed which incrementally developed as opportunities were presented. The university classes for the semester swimming unit EDF2611 were redesigned to create a pathway with the swimming and water safety course qualification—Swim Australia Teacher. Careful mentoring enabled the implementation of 'hands on' practical teaching and learning experiences for the university Initial Teacher Education pre-service teachers, quality swimming lessons at no cost for local primary school children (from a disadvantaged socioeconomic region), and professional development for teachers.
The community collaborative partnership was extended in semester one 2012 as part of unit EDF3619 'Sport and physical activity education'. The purpose of this chapter is to share insights of this programme. A key goal for the 'Friday Sports' programme was to be a worthwhile and valued experience for the children, and especially, for the four new partnering schools. The partnership enabled accessing new assets for each of the stakeholders and subsequently, enhancing the quality of the learning experience, which they otherwise would not have had. Feedback from the various stakeholders evidenced that the 'Friday Sports' programme was successful and very popular.
Community partnerships are not a new concept. What is known is that partnerships are contextual, and therefore, no partnerships are the same. Hence, the purpose of this chapter is to investigate what research suggests to enhance successful partnerships. From a ‘futures perspective’, partnerships are ideal for implementing education curricula, and megatrends predict that in the future, education departments need to be prepared for a quality of life with limited world resources and increased significance of social relationships. Specifically within teacher education, literature suggests there are three elements for successful partnerships between schools and universities: coherence and integration, professional experience that links the theory with practice, and new relationships. Successful partnerships that espouse these elements increase the chance of reaching the hybrid space ideal.
This chapter shares a deeper analysis of insights from the UK case study research, which indicated that partnership complexities were minimised when the relationships were developed over a sustained period of time, where genuine trust is built between stakeholders and not forced. Furthermore, when learning created through partnerships were perceived as relevant by all stakeholders, there was some form of funding, and teacher educators were confident and competent with the children aged 5–11 years. These insights were supported by recent shifts in teacher education. Hence, the global insights offered timely support and direction for the ‘Best Start’ programme.
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പ്രശ്ന പരിഹാരത്തിനുള്ള കഴിവ് വളർത്തിയെടുക്കാതെ മാനേജർ ലെവലിലുള്ള ജോലി വിജയകരമായി ചെയ്യാനാവില്ല.
പലരും ഒരേ പ്രശ്നത്തെ പല രീതിയിലായിരിക്കും സമീപിക്കുന്നതും പരിഹരിക്കാൻ ശ്രമിക്കുന്നതും.
പലർക്കും പലതരത്തിലുള്ള വെല്ലുവിളികൾ ജീവിതത്തിലും കരിയറിലും അഭിമുഖീകരിക്കേണ്ടി വരാറുണ്ട്. ചിലർ പ്രശ്നങ്ങളെയോർത്ത് സങ്കടപ്പെടും. മറ്റു ചിലർ പ്രശ്നങ്ങളെയും വെല്ലുവിളികളെയും നയപരമായി അതിജീവിക്കും. പ്രശ്നപരിഹാരം കഴിവും കലയുമാണ്. എല്ലാവർക്കും ഇതിനുള്ള കഴിവുണ്ടാകണമെന്നില്ല. ഒന്നു ശ്രദ്ധിച്ചാൽ ഈ കഴിവ് വളർത്തിയെടുക്കാവുന്നതാണ്. ജീവിതത്തിൽ സമാധാനം ലഭിക്കും എന്നതിനു പുറമേ കരിയറിൽ ഉയർച്ചയുണ്ടാകാനും ഇത് ഉപകരിക്കും. പ്രശ്ന പരിഹാരത്തിനുള്ള കഴിവ് വളർത്തിയെടുക്കാതെ മാനേജർ ലെവലിലുള്ള ജോലി വിജയകരമായി ചെയ്യാനാവില്ല. നേതൃപദവിയിലുള്ള വ്യക്തിക്ക് ഏറ്റവും കൂടുതൽ വേണ്ടത് ഈ കഴിവാണ്. അടിക്കടി ഉയർന്നുവരുന്ന പ്രശ്നങ്ങൾ പരിഹരിക്കാൻ കഴിഞ്ഞില്ലെങ്കിൽ അധിക നാൾ ഒരു ജോലിയിലും തുടരാൻ കഴിയില്ല.
01. പ്രശ്നമറിഞ്ഞ് പരിഹരിക്കാം യഥാർഥത്തിൽ പ്രശ്നം എന്താണന്നു മനസ്സിലാക്കുന്നതാണ് പരിഹാരത്തിനുള്ള ആദ്യ നടപടി. എന്താണെന്നറിയാതെ പരിഹാരം കണ്ടെത്തുന്നതിൽ ഒരടി പോലും മുന്നോട്ടു പോകാനാവില്ല. ഒരാൾ ഒറ്റയ്ക്കായിരിക്കില്ല ഒരു സ്ഥാപനത്തിൽ ജോലി ചെയ്യുന്നത്. സഹപ്രവർത്തകർക്ക് മനസ്സിലാകാൻ വേണ്ടി സാഹചര്യം, നിലവിലെ പ്രശ്നം, പരിഹരിച്ചാലുള്ള ഗുണം, ഇല്ലെങ്കിലുള്ള ദോഷങ്ങൾ എന്നിവ പറഞ്ഞു മനസ്സിലാക്കാൻ കഴിയണം. വലിച്ചുനീട്ടി പറയുന്നത് ഒഴിവാക്കി ഏറ്റവും കുറഞ്ഞ വാക്കുകളിൽ കൃത്യമായി അവതരിപ്പിക്കണം. പലരും ഒരേ പ്രശ്നത്തെ പല രീതിയിലായിരിക്കും സമീപിക്കുന്നതും പരിഹരിക്കാൻ ശ്രമിക്കുന്നതും. എന്നാലും പൊതുവായ സമീപനം ആവശ്യമാണ്.
02. വിശകലനം ചെയ്യാം വിശദമായി പ്രതിസന്ധി മനസ്സിലാക്കിയാൽ അടുത്ത നടപടി വിശദമായി പരിശോധിക്കുകയാണ്. ഇതിലൂടെ പരിഹാര മാർഗങ്ങൾ കണ്ടെത്താം. പ്രശ്നം ചെറുതോ വലുതോ ആയാലും ചില ചോദ്യങ്ങളിലുടെ പരിഹാരത്തിലേക്ക് എത്താം. നേരിടുന്ന വിഷമകരമായ സാഹചര്യത്തിന്റെ ഗൗരവം, എന്തുകൊണ്ടാണ് പരിഹരിക്കേണ്ടത് അത്യാവശ്യമായത്, എന്തൊക്കെ യാണ് തടസ്സങ്ങൾ, പ്രതിവിധികൾ, പരിഹരിച്ചാലുള്ള ഗുണങ്ങൾ, പരിഹരിച്ചില്ലെങ്കിൽ നേരിടേണ്ടിവരുന്ന കോട്ടങ്ങൾ എന്നിങ്ങനെ ചോദ്യങ്ങൾ സ്വയം ചോദിക്കുന്നതിലൂടെ പരിഹാരത്തിലേക്ക് എത്താം. ചോദ്യങ്ങൾക്കൊപ്പം ഉത്തരങ്ങളും കണ്ടുപിടിക്കുക. മനസ്സിൽ നടത്തുന്ന വിശകലനത്തിലൂടെ പ്രശ്നത്തിന്റെ യഥാർഥ സ്വഭാവം മനസ്സിലാക്കാം. പരിഹാരം കണ്ടുപിടിക്കാനും ഇതു സഹായിക്കും.
3. ഒരു പ്രശ്നം പല പരിഹാരങ്ങൾ എത്ര വലിയ പ്രതിസന്ധിക്കും ഒന്നിലധികം പരിഹാരങ്ങൾ കണ്ടെത്താൻ കഴിയും. ഒരൊറ്റ പരിഹാരം മാത്രം കണ്ടെത്തുന്നതു കൂടുതൽ പ്രശ്നങ്ങളിലേക്കു മാത്രമേ നയിക്കൂ എന്നതിനാൽ ഒന്നിലധികം പരിഹാരങ്ങൾ തന്നെ കണ്ടെത്തണം. സാധ്യതകൾ തുറന്നു വരുന്നതിലൂടെ ഏറ്റവും മികച്ച മാർഗം കണ്ടെത്താൻ കഴിയും. ഓരോന്നിന്റെയും ഗുണവും ദോഷവും പരിശോധിക്കുന്നതിലൂടെ ഇത് വേഗത്തിൽ ചെയ്യാനും കഴിയും. സ്വയം വിധികർത്താവ് ആകാൻ ശ്രമിക്കരുത്. ചില പ്രതിസന്ധികൾ എളുപ്പത്തിൽ പരിഹരിക്കാനോ കണ്ടെത്തിയ മാർഗങ്ങൾ മികച്ചതോ ആയിരിക്കണമെന്നില്ല. ഇതിന്റെ പേരിൽ സ്വയം വിലകുറച്ചു കാണേണ്ടതില്ല. ഓരോന്നിനെയും വിശദമായി പരിശോധിക്കുന്നതിലൂടെ ഏറ്റവും നല്ല മാർഗം കണ്ടെത്താം.
4. ചോദ്യങ്ങളിലൂടെ വിലയിരുത്താം പരിഹാരത്തിനുള്ള പല മാർഗങ്ങൾ കണ്ടെത്തിയാൽ, അടുത്ത നടപടി ഓരോന്നിനെയും വിലയിരുത്തുകയാണ്. ഏറ്റവും ഫലപ്രദവും അനുയോജ്യവുമായ പരിഹാരമാണു വേണ്ടതെന്ന കാര്യത്തിൽ ആർക്കും എതിരഭിപ്രായമു ണ്ടാകില്ല. നേരത്തേ ചെയ്തതുപോലെ ചോദ്യങ്ങൾ ചോദിക്കുകയാണ് വിലയിരുത്താനും നല്ല മാർഗം.
പരിഹാരം വേഗത്തിൽ സാധ്യമാണോ ? എത്ര വലിയ പരിശ്രമം വേണ്ടിവരും ? സ്ഥാപനത്തിന്റെ നിലവിലെ സാഹചര്യം അനുകൂലമാണോ ? ഫലം എങ്ങനെയാകും ? സാമ്പത്തിക സ്ഥിതി അനുയോജ്യമാണോ ? ഓരോ ചോദ്യവും ചോദിച്ച് ഉത്തരങ്ങൾ കണ്ടെത്തുക. പ്രായോഗികമല്ലാത്തതും അനുയോജ്യമല്ലാത്തവയും ആദ്യം തന്നെ ഒഴിവാക്കുക.
5. അനുഭവങ്ങളിൽ നിന്നു തേടാം പരിഹാരം പ്രായോഗികമല്ലാത്ത പരിഹാര നിർദേശങ്ങൾ ഒഴിവാക്കുന്നത് പ്രശ്ന പരിഹാരം എന്ന ജോലി കൂടുതൽ എളുപ്പമുള്ളതാക്കും. നിലവിലുള്ള മാർഗങ്ങളിൽ നിന്ന് ഏറ്റവും മികച്ചത് തിരഞ്ഞെടുക്കുകയാണ് അടുത്ത നടപടി.
ജോലി പരിചയം, അനുഭവങ്ങൾ, ധൈര്യം, ഇച്ഛാശക്തി എന്നിവയുടെ അടിസ്ഥാനത്തിൽ സ്വയം കണ്ടെത്തുന്ന പരിഹാര മാർഗം തന്നെയായിരിക്കും അനുയോജ്യമാവുക. എന്നാൽ, സഹായിക്കാൻ സന്നദ്ധതയുള്ള സഹപ്രവർത്തകരോട് അഭിപ്രായങ്ങൾ ചോദിക്കാൻ മടിക്കരുത്. സ്വയം ചിന്തിച്ചിട്ടില്ലാത്ത വഴികളെക്കുറിച്ചും വ്യത്യസ്തമായ മാർഗങ്ങളെക്കുറിച്ചും മറ്റുള്ളവർക്ക് വിലപ്പെട്ട നിർദേശങ്ങൾ നൽകാനുണ്ടാകും. ഇത് പ്രശ്നങ്ങളെ വേഗത്തിലും അനായാസമായും പരിഹരിക്കാൻ സഹായിക്കും.
6. വേണം പ്ലാൻ എയും ബിയും പരിഹാരം കണ്ടെത്തുകയും അധികൃതരുടെ അംഗീകാരം ലഭിക്കുകയും ചെയ്താൽ നടപ്പാക്കുക എന്ന ഘട്ടമാണ് ബാക്കിയുള്ളത്. ആദ്യം തന്നെ വിശദമായ ആക്ഷൻ പ്ലാൻ തയാറാക്കുക. നടപ്പാക്കുന്ന പദ്ധതിയെക്കുറിച്ച് സഹപ്രവർത്തകർക്ക് കൃത്യമായ ധാരണയുണ്ടായിരിക്കണം. ഓരോരുത്തരുടെയും ഉത്തരവാദിത്തം ബോധ്യപ്പെടുത്തുക. ഇതിന് വ്യക്തമായ ആശയ വിനിമയം വേണം. പദ്ധതിയെക്കുറിച്ച് എല്ലാവർക്കും കൃത്യമായ ധാരണയുണ്ടെന്ന് ഉറപ്പാക്കിയ ശേഷം മാത്രമേ അന്തിമ ഘട്ടത്തിലേക്കു കടക്കാവൂ. പ്ലാൻ എ നടപ്പാക്കുമ്പോൾ തന്നെ പ്ലാൻ ബിയും മനസ്സിലുണ്ടാകണം. ഇത് വ്യക്തവും വിശദവുമായ പദ്ധതി ആകണമെന്നില്ല. ഏകദേശ ധാരണ ഉണ്ടായാലും മതി.
7. ഫോളോ അപ് മുടക്കരുത് പദ്ധതി നടപ്പാക്കാൻ തീരുമാനിക്കുന്നതോടെ കടമ തീരുന്നില്ല. എല്ലാവരും ഉത്തരവാദിത്തം നിറവേറ്റുന്നുണ്ടെന്നും പദ്ധതി ശരിയായ രീതിയിൽ മുന്നേറുന്നുണ്ടെന്നും ഉറപ്പുവരുത്തണം. കരിയറിൽ വിജയിച്ച പ്രമുഖരെല്ലാം തങ്ങൾ നടപ്പാക്കിയ പദ്ധതികൾ അവസാനം വരെ നിരീക്ഷിച്ചവരും വിജയം ഉറപ്പാക്കിയവരുമാണ്. ഏതു പ്ലാൻ നടപ്പാക്കിയാലും കൃത്യമായ ഫോളോ അപ് വേണം. അനന്തര ഫലങ്ങൾ വിലയിരുത്തണം. ഭാവിയിലെ പ്രതിസന്ധികൾ നേരിടാനും വെല്ലുവിളികളെ അതിജീവിക്കാനും ഫോളോ അപ് നടപടികൾ സഹായിക്കും. അധികാരികൾക്കു മുന്നിൽ തെളിവുകൾ നിരത്തി വിജയം ബോധ്യപ്പെടുത്താനും ഇതു തന്നെയാണ് മികച്ച മാർഗം.
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Fear of failure. One of the most common barriers to problem solving is fear of failure. Fear can prevent us from taking risks and trying new things, preventing us from achieving our goals. Overcoming this fear is vital to success. Several ways to reduce or eliminate fear include practice, visualization, and positive self-talk.
4. Lack of respect for rhythms. There is always a right time for preparation, a right time for action and a right time for patience. Respecting the rhythms of a problem is directly link to the ...
There are several common barriers to successful CPS, including: Confirmation Bias: The tendency to only search for or interpret information that confirms a person's existing ideas. People misinterpret or disregard data that doesn't align with their beliefs. Mental Set: People's inclination to solve problems using the same tactics they ...
4 Problem-Solving Skills All Leaders Need. 1. Problem Framing. One key skill for any leader is framing problems in a way that makes sense for their organization. Problem framing is defined in Design Thinking and Innovation as determining the scope, context, and perspective of the problem you're trying to solve.
cated problem-solving techniques until it captures all that can be learned from the simple ones. The main objective is to uncover problems, ask the right questions, engage everyone in the problem-solving effort, and develop the organization's problem-solving muscles. An effective process for identifying and solving problems involves five ...
The problem solving methodology we use is a combination of logic, sequencing, and imagination that ultimately creates a systematic thinking process to overcome these human characteristics. These ...
Here's how you can overcome barriers to effective problem-solving in leadership roles. Powered by AI and the LinkedIn community. 1. Recognize Bias. 2. Embrace Conflict. 3. Enhance Communication. 4.
We've identified 6 common barriers to team problem-solving that all leaders need to be aware of in order to best manage the problem-solving process and harness the full potential of the team. 1. Increased Competition. Working in a team can bring up competitive feelings amongst team members. While competition has upsides, it can come at the ...
How to solve problems as a manager. Consider these steps to help you solve problems as a manager in your workplace: 1. Define the problem. You must first identify what the problem is by talking to colleagues, conducting research and using your observational skills. Once you understand the challenge you want to overcome, try to define it as ...
Here are the most common barriers to successful problem solving: Confirmation Bias: The tendency to only search for or interpret information that confirms a person's existing ideas. People misinterpret or disregard data that doesn't align with their beliefs. Mental Set: People's inclination to solve problems using the same tactics they have ...
Problem solving. Process improvement. Source: Harvard Business Press Chapters. Product #: 2430BC-PDF-ENG. Length: 46 page (s) Unless managers and their teams clearly understand the roots of today's barriers to achieving strategic opportunities, their attempts to solve these p.
12 common management challenges. Here are some of the most common challenges managers face and how to overcome them: Decreased performance levels. Being understaffed. Lack of communication. Poor teamwork. Pressure to perform. Absence of structure. Time management.
Balance divergent and convergent thinking. Ask problems as questions. Defer or suspend judgement. Focus on "Yes, and…" rather than "No, but…". According to Carella, "Creative problem solving is the mental process used for generating innovative and imaginative ideas as a solution to a problem or a challenge.
How to Offset these Barriers. These days we are under so much pressure to perform and do it quickly. The Nature of Managerial Work by H. Mintzberg, points out that problem-solving techniques aren't even used as managers (and others) have a propensity to act in haste to correct situations rather than taking the time to think through them.
Introduction; 2.1 Overview of Managerial Decision-Making; 2.2 How the Brain Processes Information to Make Decisions: Reflective and Reactive Systems; 2.3 Programmed and Nonprogrammed Decisions; 2.4 Barriers to Effective Decision-Making; 2.5 Improving the Quality of Decision-Making; 2.6 Group Decision-Making; Key Terms; Summary of Learning Outcomes; Chapter Review Questions
While problems sometimes come with easy answers, managerial problem-solving cannot be impulsive, risking the mistake of making snap decisions. Instead, they use techniques like brainstorming ideas, creating prioritized lists, and evaluating the time, cost, and technology involved to assess the situation and design a long-term solution. 4. Plan ...
1. Lack of Clarity in Problem Definition. One of the primary barriers to effective problem-solving is a lack of clarity in problem definition. Without a clear understanding of the problem at hand, it becomes challenging to devise appropriate solutions. To overcome this barrier, it is crucial to take the time to define the problem accurately.
1) Great Problem-Solvers Manage Negative Emotions. To excel at solving complex and relational problems requires emotional self-awareness, so you can remain mindful about where your thoughts and ...
Misdiagnosis. Common barriers to problem-solving include an incorrect diagnosis of the problem. This could be due to preconceived ideas, biases, or judgments. Defining a problem is the hardest step in the process of problem-solving because this is the foundation on which your entire strategy is built. If you're not careful, you may end up ...
Overcoming Barriers to Effective Managerial Problem-Solving Strategies. ... Managerial Problem-Solving Strategies: The Role of Emotional Intelligence. Emotional intelligence (EI) plays a significant role in effective problem-solving and decision-making for managers. EI refers to the ability to recognize, understand, and manage one's emotions ...
What is problem-solving? Problem-solving is both an ability and a process. As an ability, problem-solving can aid in resolving issues faced in different environments like home, school, abroad, and social situations, among others. As a process, problem-solving involves a series of steps for finding solutions to questions or concerns that arise ...
To find out what managers are facing today, we took a look at some of the top challenges and ways to overcome them. 1. Communicating effectively with employees. As a manager, there can often be an element of distance from the rest of the team. This creates one of the biggest challenges for managers - bridging the distance with effective and ...
Barriers to Problem-solving There are numerous obstacles to solving a problem. Generally, these obstacles are mental constructs that impede the ability to correctly solve problems. Some barriers do not prevent us from finding a solution, but do prevent us from finding the most efficient solution. Four of the most common
Problem solving. Process improvement. Source: Harvard Business Press Chapters. Product #: 2430BC-HCB-ENG. Length: 46 page (s) Unless managers and their teams clearly understand the roots of today's barriers to achieving strategic opportunities, their attempts to solve these p.
The following year, when management was indicted on 17 counts of conspiracy and fraud, we learned what the company's values really were. ... , Decision making and problem solving ...
Download Free PDF. View PDF. CHAPTER 10 Overcoming Barriers and Problem Solving Abstract The purpose of this chapter is to investigate the dificulties within partnerships, the problems to be solved. The UN state that 'partnerships' are essential for implementation of the SDGs but also acknowledge that many barriers must be overcome.
In T1D, problem solving refers to the knowledge and set of strategies and skills that are necessary to solve acute or long-term problems. ... Barriers to self-management and quality-of-life outcomes in seniors with multimorbidities. Ann Fam Med. 2007;5:395-402. doi:10.1370/afm.722
പലർക്കും പലതരത്തിലുള്ള വെല്ലുവിളികൾ ജീവിതത്തിലും കരിയറിലും ...