guidance , alternative , problem , solving ,decisionCareer Coach
Do you wanna,
Sharpen your skills for critical thinking, Problem solving & Decision making
Gone are the days when management expected workers to check their brains at the door and do only as told. As a Knowledge worker, you will be expected to use your brains in thinking critically. You will be solving problems & making decisions.
If you read this carefully the whole article is devoted to solving problems & communicating, those decisions to Management, Fellow workers, Clients, the Government & the Public.
Faced with a problem or an issue, most of us do a lot of worrying before separating the issues or making a decision. All that worrying can become directed thinking by channeling it into the following procedure.
1) Identify and clarify the problem.
Your first task is to recognize that a problem exists. Some problems are big & un-mistakable, such as failure of an air-freight delivery service to get packages to customers on time. Other problems may be continuing annoyances, Such as regularly running out of toner for an office copy machine. The first step in reaching a solution is pinpointing the problem area.
2) Gather Information
Learn more about the problem situation. Look for possible causes & solutions. This step may mean checking files, calling suppliers, or brain storming with fellow workers. For example: - The air freight delivery service would investigate the tracking systems of the commercial airlines carrying its packages to determine what went wrong.
3) Evaluate the Evidence
Where did the information come from? Does it represent various points of view? What biases could be expected from each source? ... How accurate is the information gathered? Is it fact or Opinion? For example: - It is a fact that packages are missing, it is an opinion that they are merely lost & will turn up eventually.
4) Consider alternatives & Implications
Draw conclusions from the gathered evidence & pose solutions. Then weigh the advantages & disadvantages of each alternative. What are the costs, benefits & consequences? What are the obstacles and how can they be handled? Most important, what solution best serves your goals & those of your organization?
Here’s where your creativity is especially important.
5) Choose & Implement the best alternative Select an alternative & put it into action. Then, follow though on your decision by monitoring the results of implementing your plan. The freight company decided to give its unhappy customers free delivery service to make up for the lost packages & down time. Be sure to continue monitoring & adjusting the solution to ensure its effectiveness over time.