| There is a saying that there are only two certainties | | | | another way of photocopying the document so that |
| in life: Death and Taxes. I think that you could add | | | | you can get them ready for the meeting?" Your |
| one more certainty which is: Problems! | | | | thought is not in getting the photocopier repaired as |
| Everyday in our lives we are faced with problems | | | | you have a more important and urgent task at hand. |
| which can be big or small. In our workplace we have | | | | After the meeting is over, you may find yourself |
| problems which can be work related or relationship | | | | having more time to look into the reasons as to why |
| related. Likewise in our personal lives we are faced | | | | the photocopier broke down and thus take |
| with problems with our spouses, siblings, in-laws and | | | | necessary steps to repair it. When you engage in this |
| many others. Sometimes we wish that we could just | | | | process you are now demonstrating what is called |
| wake up in the morning and face the day without | | | | the 'Do-it' problem solving. |
| any problem at all. This is wishful thinking as the very | | | | 'Do-it' problems apparently deal with something that |
| nature of our existence is based on our innate ability | | | | has to be done in order to prevent further problems |
| to solve problem. In fact our very survival is based | | | | from arising. Like for instance: the roof is leaking; the |
| on how good a problem solver we become. Apart | | | | computer program has a virus; the car broke down. |
| from the fact that we have technologically, culturally | | | | In these kinds of 'do-it' problem situations you have |
| and socially developed over many millennia, we still | | | | to learn to look at the situation objectively to see |
| are confronted with problems of many variations. To | | | | what cause of action you may want to take. |
| put it crudely, if you look at your fundamental job | | | | Analysis of the problem |
| scope, you are being paid to solve the problems of | | | | The next stage in problem solving is the analysis of |
| your organization. | | | | the problem. This will require you to ask some |
| Your inability to resolve your organizational problems | | | | hard-hitting questions like what is the cause of the |
| will spell disaster for your career. There is no way | | | | problem; who started it; why does it occur; what can |
| around it. Rather you will be better off if you learn | | | | we do about it; whose responsibility is it to solve this |
| the fine art of being able to solve the problems that | | | | problem; do we have all the data to solve the |
| confronts and confounds you daily. Question that you | | | | problem; how can we get the information we want |
| need to ask is whether you can become an excellent | | | | to solve the problem; what is the ideal outcome that |
| problem solver? | | | | we want here etc. |
| My answer is Yes! However it is not going to be | | | | The more questions you ask once you've identified |
| easy. But the more you take on the problems that | | | | the problem the more information that you might |
| confound you head long the better you will become | | | | have to solve the problem. There are some problems |
| with time. By being able to solve problems efficiently | | | | whereby there is no answer to its resolution. Like for |
| you will become a very powerful and effective | | | | instance if you want to solve the problem of |
| individual. Also as the great French dramatist, | | | | poverty in the world, this would be a tall order and |
| Jean-Baptiste Poquelin puts it: "The Greater the | | | | one which you may not be able to resolve if at all. |
| obstacle, the more glory in overcoming it." | | | | This would be an example of a 'fix'it' problem which is |
| You can teach yourself to become a good problem | | | | extremely difficult to 'fix'. However, if you were to |
| solver. This is obviously not going to happen | | | | change your outlook by making this into a 'do-it' |
| overnight, but if you put conscientious effort into | | | | problem you might be able to solve some small |
| trying to resolve the problems that you face you will | | | | aspect of the problem. Like you can start a company |
| slowly learn the fine art and science of problem | | | | trust fund to collect monies for the poor people living |
| resolution. | | | | within your vicinity and create a distribution channel |
| Identifying the problem | | | | to give these poor people what they need. You are |
| The first step in becoming an excellent problem | | | | not solving the world poverty problem, but moving |
| solver lies in your ability to identify the nature of the | | | | from a 'fix-it' to 'do-it' you get to do something |
| problem. You need to ask yourself two very | | | | worthwhile. |
| important questions. Is the problem that is | | | | Implementation of solutions |
| confronting you a 'fix-it' kind of problem or a 'do-it' | | | | Ultimately, the concept of problem solving involves |
| kind of problem? | | | | the ability to find solutions. There may be more than |
| Fix-it problem usually involves something that has | | | | one solution for a problem. This is when you need to |
| gone wrong and you have to put it right. Like for | | | | integrate the process of decision making to see how |
| instance the photocopier in your office broke down | | | | best you could implement the most effective |
| and you've got to print one hundred copies of an | | | | solution. When implementing the solution to solve the |
| important document to be distributed during the | | | | problem you should take note too that what works |
| meeting which is going to be held in fifteen minutes. | | | | for one situation may not work for another. |
| This kind of situation puts you in an urgent and | | | | Therefore you need to re-engage yourself to come |
| important quadrant as you will have to take effective | | | | up with new strategies to solve new problems that |
| steps to resolve the key issue which is 'how to find | | | | arise. |