Every day, business professionals are faced with using problem solving techniques to achieve strategic business and tactical goals within the operation. But the truth is, most of us are not really good at problem solving. We either muddle through, do nothing, adapt or produce “solutions” that often make things worse. Effective problem solving requires the courage to confront feelings, the commitment to do something, and above all the willingness to accept responsibility. Traditional approaches to problem solving often ignore the importance of both values and creativity in problem solving while exclusively favoring analytical strategies.

1. Welcome to
Sharlyn Lauby, SPHR CPLP

2.  Linking problem solving to business goals
 Introduce a 6-step problem solving model
 Discuss examples for using the model

4. • First, problem solving takes time.
• Second, a positive attitude is essential for
effective problem solving.
• Third, most problems are complex rather
than simple.
• Fourth, there is no substitute for
interpersonal skills.

5. I
II
IV
V

6. I

7. Step One: Identify Relevant
Situational Information

8. Six Key Categories
Who:
What:
Where:
When:
Extent:
Pattern:
Who is involved in the problem?
What exactly is wrong?
Where is the problem taking place geographically?
Where is the problem taking place on the defective object?
When was the problem first observed?
When did the problem begin?
How widespread is the problem?
How does the problem play out over time?

9. Step One: Identify Relevant
Situational Information
Step Two: Identify the Sources of
Information

10. Five Ways to Collect Information
1. Interviews
2. Questionnaires
3. Observing
4. Reviewing documents
5. Experience

11. Step One: Identify Relevant
Situational Information
Step Two: Identify the Sources of
Information
Step Three: Collect the Needed
Information

12. II

13. A Key Idea
State the problem in terms
of Target, not Proposals

14. Step One: Identify Goals
Step Two: Compare Goals to Values
Step Three: Place Goals on a Target

15.  Time Specific
 Clearly Defined
 Realistic
Examples of Effective Goals:
“By January 1, all financial arrangements for the new office
will have been completed.”
“By the end of next month, once-a-month meetings between
sales and marketing will have been scheduled for the rest of
the year.”

16.  Chosen freely
 Chosen from alternatives
 Chosen after careful consideration of the consequences
 Prized and cherished
 Publically affirmed
 Acted upon
 Repeating
Examples of organizational values include:
innovation, community service, employee development, quality

17. Two Key Concepts
A. Centrality

18. #1 #2 #3 #4 #5

19. Two Key Concepts
A. Centrality/Priority
B. Clustering

20. #1 #2
#3
#4
#5

21. Two Key Concepts
A. Centrality/Priority
B. Clustering/Compatibility

22. An Enabling Goal is a lower priority
goal, the accomplishment of which
will further the accomplishment of one
or more higher priority goals.

23. #1 #2
#3
#4
#5

24. III

25. Step One: Identify and Analyze a
Comparative Situation

26. Three Comparative Situations
Type A: The Situation to Itself
Type B: The Situation to a Similar
Situation
Type C: The Situation to the
Target

27. Step One: Identify and Analyze a
Comparative Situation
Step Two: Compare and Contrast the
Current and Comparative
Situations

28.  What’s the same?
 What hasn’t changed?
 What’s different?
 What has changed?

29. Step One: Identify and Analyze a
Comparative Situation
Step Two: Compare and Contrast the
Current and Comparative
Situations
Step Three: Identify Resources
Step Four: Identify Most Likely Cause

30. May help create the problem but
does not actually cause the problem
The Most Likely Cause:
Actually brings the problem
into being

31. Step One: Identify and Analyze a
Comparative Situation
Step Two: Compare and Contrast the
Current and Comparative
Situations
Step Three: Identify Resources
Step Four: Identify Most Likely Cause
Step Five: Determine if this is the “Real
Problem”

32. IV

33. 1. Recognition of Patterns
2. Criticism of New Ideas
3. “Don’t make mistakes.”
4. Trying Harder

35. 1. Set a time limit
2. Review the rules
• any or all ideas
3. Select recorders
4. Conduct the brainstorm
• no evaluation
• no discussion

37.  Another use
 Adapt / Modify
 Substitutions / Minimize / Magnify
 Reverse / Opposite
 Combine

38. 1. Explore obvious analogies
2. Force an analogy

39. V

40. A Key Idea
Compare alternatives to
criteria not to each other

41. Step One: Evaluate Proposals
Step Two: Consider a Pilot Test
Step Three: Quantifying the
Alternatives

42. VI

43. Step One: Plan for Implementation
Step Two: Monitor and Evaluate

44. I
II
IV
V

45. The Leaping Monkey
•When you begin to doubt your own ability to solve
the problem
•When you begin to send “solutions” before fully
exploring the problem situation
•When you begin to focus more on the problem
than on the person

46. Thanks for Attending!
Sharlyn Lauby, SPHR CPLP