Effective Techniques For Problem Solving In The Workplace

SYDNEY - Aug. 27, 2015 - PRLog -- “The highest levels of problems come to people who are centred, intuitive, creative, and reflective people who know to see a problem as an opportunity” – Deepak Chopra.

If you ask any employee in the workplace if problem-solving is part of their day-to-day activity, they would certainly answer, “Yes”. Organisational problem-solving is beyond making decisions as it involves finding and analysing the problem, implementing the decision and also reviewing the results produced. Therefore, it is essential to know how to resolve problems at work efficiently.
Max, a previous manager in my team, discussed how he ended up with the wrong candidate for the job position he had available. Even though he was a hard working employee, his work didn’t meet the company’s objectives as he lacked the skills that the position demanded. This made Max rethink his decision of retaining that employee in the job. When he came and discussed the issue with me, I suggested that he should take steps that would benefit the company. Max went on to learn the key strengths and weaknesses of that employee and the employee was later placed to a different team. Instead of letting this employee go, he took the time to analyse the situation and planned out a good solution, though it was time-consuming, Max achieved his objective.
Problems can be daunting when we know the issue but we don’t have any solution to fix it. As the problems mount faster, we tend to take short cuts to temporarily soothe the tension points, this is called a band aid approach. In this process, we fail to resolve the core of the problem. This makes us to continuously get caught in the trap of a never-ending cycle that prevents us from getting any real solution. It is here the problem solving in the workplace play an important role.

Every person’s approach to problems can be different. Some focus on the reason why a problem exist, which is commonly referred to as problem-focused approach, while others prefer to think about possible solutions that will help them solve the problem, called solutions-focused approach.
As and when a problem arises, I take a solutions-focused approach that is aimed to solve the problem and put preventative measures in place to minimise re-occurrence of the same problem. Taking a solutions-focused approach broke down the vicious problem-cycle and helped me develop a constructive and customised solution to a problem. Here, I will provide you with a few tips and problem solving techniques in the workplace that I use to develop solutions-focused thinking.

Firstly, ask yourself different questions on how you can solve a given problem – how did the problem arise, what would be the first step to solve this problem, how can I address the problem in a specific period of time. This will help you understand the problem at hand.

Secondly, use this information to paint a picture of the problem and identify pain points. Example – flowchart, steps.

Thirdly, create a plan that consists of a series of actionable steps to follow, also address preventative measures to conclude.
Finally, I would encourage you to monitor your implementations once a week and measure the progress. If there are no reoccurrences, then you are on the right track and you reduce your monitoring frequency.
Implementation of a solution is the culmination of all your efforts. At each stage of implementation, ask yourself whether the desired goals are achieved, how well they are achieved and did it work smoothly.
Quick Reference 1:
Keep in mind the following before you implement a solution:

Prepare your team in advance
Evaluate the effect at each phase when you implement the solution and make necessary adjustments
Remain flexible and open to your employees’ suggestions

Quick Reference 2:
Consider the following problem-solving skills:

Initiative: Be proactive towards contribution to making a difference without being asked for
Creativity: Go beyond conventional approach to solve a problem
Resourcefulness: Adapt to new/difficult situations and devise ways to overcome obstacles

Analytical thinking: Analyse critical situations by thinking logically not emotionally

If you have any further suggestions or what has worked for you, please post your comments in the comment box. I would love to hear from you.

Reference - http://topscorebootsbet.com/techniques-for-workplace-prob...