EFFECTIVE PROBLEM SOLVING: The Art, Science, and Practice

East

Desires are the cause suffering. If desire, which lies at the route of all human passion, can be removed, then passion will die out and all human suffering will be ended.

– Buddhism

He who wants to do good knocks at the gate; he who loves finds the gate open.

– Rabindranath Tagore

Everything will settle in its own place automatically.

– Lao Tzu

West

For every thousand hacking at the leaves of evil, there is one striking at the root.

– Henry David Thoreau

When the solution is simple, God is answering.

– Albert Einstein

Problems are just opportunities in their work clothes.

– Henry Kaisers

12 Effective Leadership Roles

Be willing to discuss and solve problems; listen with understanding; support and help... More

Art, Science, and Practice of Problem Solving

The Art – asking effective questions
The Science – answering these questions, analyzing the answers, and evaluating their results
The Practice – implementing the solutions

Three Types of Problem

Known, solution requires new expertise: Requires for its solution more information or better technique for handling information.
Known, solution requires reframing: Requires no new information but reframing or rearrangement of information already available: an insight restructuring.
Unknown, need to be identified: The problem is to realize that there is a problem, that things can be improved and define this realization as a problem.

The first type of problem can be solved by vertical thinking. The second and third type of problem require lateral thinking for their solution.¹

Six Steps of the Problem-Solving Process

Identify and define the problem
Proceed positively, identify causes, generate alternative solutions
Evaluate the alternative solutions
Make a clear decision
Implement the decision, assign clear responsibility for carrying out the decision and set a deadline for completion and review.
Follow up, monitor the implementation, compare actual results with expected ones and adjust the course of action accordingly.

Jokes and Humorous Quotations

Burke's Rule

Never create a problem for which you do not have the answer.
Create problems for which only you have the answer.

10 Steps To Resolving Inner and Outer Conflict

Practice Non-Violence (physical, mental and verbal) within yourself and your own life.

Assume an Attitude of Non-Possessiveness – (physical and emotional) avoiding over accumulation of possessions that causes us to protect and defend... More

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Entrepreneur

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Jokes

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Problem Defined

A problem is simply the difference between what you have and what you want. It may be a matter of getting something, of getting rid of something, of avoiding something, or of getting to know what you want.

5 Things You Should Know To Win

Source: The Art of War, Sun Tzu

You must know five things to win:

Victory comes from finding opportunities in problems... More

Two Approaches

It has been said that 98% of an organization's problems can be solved routinely. However, the remaining 2% of an organization's problems – the problems that have the greatest effect on the organization – require innovation to surmount.

Build cross-functional expertise to be able to find innovative solutions to old problems. Simple solutions to many problems are often just nearby – waiting for you to find them.

The Power of Positive Thinking

Don't focus on the problem, look for solutions. See every problem as an opportunity. Expect that there is an innovative practical solution just waiting to be found. Be relaxed, confident and clear in your mind.

Turning Problems in Opportunities

There's an old saying "There are no problems – only opportunities." So, change how you see your problems. Instead of seeing your problem as a problem – see it as an opportunity.

Too often we focus on problems and fail to see opportunities right in front of us. When you focus on your problems – when you only think of what is wrong – you will only see problems and fail to see opportunities and solutions.

To turn things around, start by focusing on finding a solution. When you think of problems you'll only attract more problems. When you think of solutions – you'll attract solutions and opportunities. Find the root of the problem and then think about how you can accomplish your goal. State the problem in different words – it might make it much easier to solve. Even if you don't come up with any answers immediately, when you accept that you will find a solution you'll begin to experience a shift. You'll go from feeling like you can't do anything to gaining confidence and "can-do" attitude.

As you change your attitude and regularly start to look for solutions, as you continue to think of finding a solution you will begin to discover and attract unlimited opportunities.

Two Rules for Business Start-Ups

Entrepreneurship is the art of finding profitable solutions to problems. Every successful entrepreneur, every successful businessperson has been a person who has been able to identify a problem and come up with a solution to it before somebody else did. Here are the five rules for entrepreneurship... More

Five-Why Process

In most situation, real problems and root causes are obscured by apparent problems. The intent of the "Five-Why" procedure is to assure that the route causes and not merely superficial symptoms are corrected. The "Five-Why Process" was introduced at Toyota to find solution to manufacturing problems, but this approach can be applied to any other area as well. Ask "Why this problem happened?" to discover its underlying problem; then ask "Why?" again to go deeper by another level until you reach the root cause. Asking "why" repeatedly, possibly more than five times, directs the focus toward real causes so problems can be solved permanently.

Kaizen Mindset

See problem solving as cross-functional systemic and collaborative approach... More

Brainstorming

The best-known and widely used team-based problem-solving and creative-thinking technique is brainstorming. One major reason why brainstorming is useful is that it helps to free us from 'fixed ideas'... More

Solving Problems and Making Decisions in Discussion With Other People

How to solve problems and make decisions more effectively in discussions with other people. Your ability to communicate is the most important skill you can develop to get on to the fast track in your career. Perhaps the most important thing you do in business is to solve problems and make decisions, both by yourself and with other people... More

Analyzing Problems and Selecting Solutions: Six Thinking Hats

The Six Thinking Hats proposal analysis tool invented by Edward de Bono⁷ is particularly useful for evaluating innovative and provocative ideas. While most of our thinking is adversarial, the six thinking hats technique overcomes these difficulties by forcing everyone to think in parallel. As participants wear each hat – white, red, yellow, black, green, or blue – they all must think a certain way at the same time... More

Case in Point Focus on Problems vs. Focus on Solutions

When NASA began the launch of astronauts into space, they found out that the pens wouldn't work at zero gravity (Ink won't flow down to the writing surface). In order to solve this problem, they hired Andersen Consulting (Accenture today). It took them one decade and $12 million. They developed a pen that worked at zero gravity, upside down, underwater, in practically any surface including crystal and in a temperature range from below freezing to over 300 degrees C.

And what did Russians do.......................................??

The Russians used a Pencil !!!

So, learn to focus on solutions not on problems. "If you look at what you do not have in life, you don't have anything." "If you look at what you have in life, you have everything." Yet someone said "Focus on problem leads to inventions! and Focus on solution leads to discoveries."

Memorization Problems: Solved!

Have you ever had problems in remembering names, numbers, grocery items needed, and other little details such as the location where you placed your car keys this morning? The truth is, we all have our moments of forgetting little bits of information that matters at the exact moment we need them.

But did you know that memorization techniques boil down to two basic things?... More

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