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Problem Solving Tools and Techniques

Get Results: problem solving — Get Results: Problem solving

We encounter numerous problems throughout our lives, and in all areas of our lives. The people that insist on putting a positive perspective on life have renamed problems, “challenges”, but for the purpose of this post we are going to stick with tradition.

Although problems can be simple or complex, we can go through a step-by-step process to try to solve the problem and provide a solution to it. Tackling problems is often a better solution than burying-our-head in the sand and hoping it goes away, although “doing nothing” can be a valid solution in itself. Burying our heads relies mainly on luck to solve the problem and takes the power away from us. Confronting the problem empowers us and in itself can be life changing.

One of the skills required for solving problems is decision making which is a topic in its own right, and is a crucial life skill that should be studied, and improved..

Stripping the problem solving strategy down to its basic components leaves us with 5 stages to go through.

1.Identify the problem and understand how it impacts your desired goal. I like to use the following equation to simplify this stage.

Get Results: problem solving equation — Get Results: Problem solving equation

Example = (EP) Enough traffic to site to earn living – (RP) not enough traffic to site = (P) need more traffic to site
More specific example = (EP) 1000 visits per day to site – (RP) 50 visits per day to site = (P) -950 visitors a day to site

Break the problem down – Evaluate the components of the problem and their relationship to one another so that you understand the problem from all angles. You must define it clearly. so that you can understand it.
Find possible solutions – Research the possible solutions and expected outcomes of those solutions. Weigh the pros and cons of each. Use your creative thought process for this. You are not guaranteed the outcomes will be as you expect, but you can only judge on the knowledge you possess at the time. Research the models, systems, habits and relationships of others that have overcome the problem(s) you are trying to overcome, where possible.
Decision making – Take action to resolve the problem. Evaluate the options and prioritise, moving on those solutions that you believe will solve the problem.

5.Review. Check that the problem has been solved. If not then go back to step one and re-evaluate, adding the information learned to the mix and begin the process again. Each failure to solve the problem takes an option off the table, and moves you a step closer to finding the right solution.

There are a number of tools and techniques available to help you solve different types of problems. Some have been designed to tackle particular types of problems, ,many of which can be modified to fit your needs. Here is a list below:

Pareto Analysis (80/20 Rule)

Pareto Analysis is a statistical technique in decision-making used for the selection of a limited number of tasks that produce significant overall effect. It uses the Pareto Principle (also known as the 80/20 rule) the idea that by doing 20% of the work you can generate 80% of the benefit of doing the entire job.

Force Field Analysis

Force Field Analysis is a method for listing, discussing, and assessing the various forces for and against a proposed change. It helps you look at the big picture by analysing all of the forces impacting on the change and weighing up the pros and cons.

Six Thinking Hats

Six Thinking Hats is a system designed by Edward de Bono which describes a tool for group discussion and individual thinking involving six colored hats

Starbursting

Starbursting is a form of brainstorming that focuses on generating questions about an idea.

Get Results: starburst — Get Results: Starburst

Ishikawa Diagram (Cause and Effect Analysis)

The fishbone diagram identifies many possible causes for an effect or problem. It can be used to structure a brainstorming session. It immediately sorts ideas into useful categories.

Process Flow Chart

A flowchart is a picture of the separate steps of a process in sequential order.

Get Results: process flow diagram — Get Results: Process flow diagram

Paired Comparison Analysis

Paired Comparison Analysis helps you to work out the importance of a number of options relative to each other. It is particularly useful where you do not have objective data to base this on.

The Stepladder Technique

The Stepladder Technique is a simple tool that manages how members enter the decision-making group. It encourages all members to contribute on an individual level BEFORE being influenced by anyone else. This results in a wider variety of ideas, it prevents people from “hiding” within the group, and it helps people avoid being “stepped on” or overpowered by stronger, louder group members.

Venn Diagram

A Venn diagram is a diagram representing mathematical or logical sets pictorially as circles or closed curves within an enclosing rectangle (the universal set), common elements of the sets being represented by intersections of the circles.

Grid Analysis (otherwise known as Decision Matrix)

Decision Matrix Analysis works by getting you to list your options as rows on a table, and the factors you need consider as columns. You then score each option/factor combination, weight this score by the relative importance of the factor, and add these scores up to give an overall score for each option. Check out more about the Decision Matrix/Grid Analysis on my Decision Making post.

Get Results: decision matrix — Get Results: Decision Matrix

Cost/Benefit analysis

The cost/benefit analysis is designed to summarize the overall value for money of a project or proposal. It looks at the benefits of a project or proposal, expressed in monetary terms, relative to its costs, also expressed in monetary terms.

Risk/Reward ratio

Get Results: risk reward analysis — Get Results: Risk Reward analysis

The Risk/Rewards ratio is a ratio used to compare the expected returns of an investment against the amount of risk undertaken to capture these returns.

More tools

PMI
Decision trees
Critical thinking
Impact analysis
The ladder of inference
Blindspot analysis
The kepner-tregoe matrix
Nominal group technique
The delphi technique
5 whys
Brainstorming
Check sheets
Concentration diagram
Activity sampling
Ranking and rating
Solution effect diagram

I’m sure there will be many other tools and techniques available, if and when I come across a new one I will add it to this list. I will in the course of time add some posts specifically about each of these tools, and link from this post to them, so keep this post bookmarked.

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Problem-solving Quotes

Quotes are a great way to draw inspiration, shift perspective and escape habitual thought patterns, here are a selection of problem-solving quotes I’ve collected over the years.

“Focus on the solution, not the problem.”

“Stop talking about your problems and start thinking about solutions.”

“If you don’t solve the problems from your past, they will follow you into your future.”

“Life is a continuous exercise in creative problem solving.” – Michael J. Gelb

“Every problem has a solution, you just have to be creative enough to find it.” – Travis Kalanick

“When solving problems, dig at the roots instead of just hacking at the leaves.” – Anthony J.D’Angelo

“Never bring the problem solving stage into the decision making stage. Otherwise, you surrender yourself to the problem rather than the solution.” – Robert H. Schuller

“Problems are nothing but wake-up calls for creativity.” – Gerhard Gschwantner

“You’re either part of the solution or you’re part of the problem.” – Eldridge Cleaver

“Solving problems is a practical art, like swimming or skiing, or playing the piano; you can learn it only by imitation and practice.” – George Polya

“People who believe a problem can be solved tend to get busy solving it.” – William Raspberry

“The best way to escape from your problems is to solve them.” – Unknown

“Running away from any problem only increases the distance from the solution. The easiest way to escape from the problem is to solve it.”

“We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.” – Albert Einstein

“Instead of thinking outside the box, get rid of the box.” – Deepak Chopra

“It isn’t that they cannot see the solution. It is that they cannot see the problem.” – GK Chesterton

“You can’t teach problem solving unless you are a problem solver.” – Jim Wilson

“Stay away from negative people. They have a problem for every solution.” – Albert Einstein

“The only way to get good at solving problems is to solve them.” – Seth Godin

“Problem-solving leaders have one thing in common; a faith that there’s always a better way.” – Gerald m. Weinberg

“It’s not that I’m so smart, it’s just that I stay with problems longer.” – Albert Einstein

“Any problem, big or small, within a family, always seems to start with bad communication. Someone isn’t listening.

“If a problem can be solved, there is nothing to worry about. If it can’t be solved, then worrying is useless.” – Unknown

“Sometimes problems don’t require a solution to solve them; instead they require maturity to outgrow them.” – Steve Marboli

“When people tell me “you’re gonna regret that in the morning” I sleep in until noon, because I’m a problem solver.” – Unknown

“To launch a business means successfully solving problems. Solving problems means listening.” – Richard Branson

“There are solutions; even to the hardest problems.”

“Problem-solving is hunting; it is savage pleasure and we are born to it.” – Thomas Harris

“Not everything that is faced can be changed. But nothing can be changed until it is faced.” – James Baldwin

“The important thing is to never stop questioning.” – Albert Einstein

“Abilities essential for academic success and productivity in the workforce, such as problem solving, reasoning and literacy, all develop through various kinds of play, as do social skills such as cooperation and sharing.” – Susan Linn

“Insanity; doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” – Albert Einstein

“Problems we have cannot be solved at the same level of thinking with which we created them.” – Albert Einstein

“All life is problem solving.” – Karl Popper

“Leaders spend 5% of their time on the problem and 95% of their time on the solution.” – Tony Robbins

“It’s very important to have a feedback loop, where you’re constantly thinking about what you’ve done and how you could be doing it better.” – Eton Musk

“Problem, means that you are dwelling on a situation mentally without a true intention or possibility of taking action.” – Eckhart Tolle

“To solve our most difficult problems we must radically change our thinking.” – Stephen Covey

“Mental acuity of any kind comes from solving problems yourself, not from being told how to solve them.” – Paul Lockhart

“Hate has caused a lot of problems in this world, but it hasn’t solved one yet.” – Maya Angelou

“Our problems are not solved by physical force, by hatred, by war. Our problems are solved by loving kindness, by gentleness, by joy.” – Buddha

Is Fear holding you back?

Fear results from a perceived devaluation of self, which also includes anything we’re attached to, such as ideas, beliefs, people, memories, our body’s, even our favourite football team etc. Fear is an evolutionary emotion that triggers our fight or flight response to keep our “self” alive (preserve life).

Although we can still face life threatening situations, they are less common than they were when we fighting sabre tooth tigers.

Because we absorb things we value into our “sense of self”, we can feel the same fear that we experience when our life may actually be threatened, in none life threatening situations, such as talking in public, and watching our favourite team participating in a penalty shoot out.

In life, fear can hold us back from pursuing our Goals by fooling us into thinking, we won’t be good enough, or we’ll be happier staying where we are.

In business, fear of taking action can be a result of a perceived devaluation of our sense of self:
• Failing, and not being as capable as we would like to believe we are (feel bad due devalued “sense of self”)
• Not being able to cope with the demands of our success (devaluation of “control” due to loss of control, “harmony” and devaluation to “family life”)
• Having to spend all our time working (devaluation of “family” and “leisure time”)
• Fear of the unknown (possible devaluation of “harmony” or “comfort zone”)

Manage FEAR and conflicts by identifying them, acknowledging and working through them to resolution. If your goal doesn’t accommodate what you fear you will lose in achieving it, you will remain torn.

There is always a way to achieving a goal and resolving any fears you may have in the acquisition of that goal, which are, after all, only real in your mind.

Jim Carey said it best

“There is a huge difference between a dog that is going to eat you in your mind and an actual dog that is GOING TO EAT YOU”.

Check out iamspirituality.com for more information about how your emotions work, and listen to Jim Carey’s speech below for some inspiration in following your goals. Choose Love over Fear.

If you would like to read more articles focused on FEAR, click here.

For more about MOTIVATION.

What’s Stopping you Getting Results?

https://youtu.be/gccAWvCAtA0

Get Results: get results model — Get Results: Get Results model

Whether you’re trying to lose weight or get fit, or become a success in business, whatever you want, there must be a way you can get the results you crave. But let’s first go back to basics.

There are only 5 basic reasons you’re not getting those elusive results…
• You don’t know what is wanted – a lack of a defined goal
• You’re knowingly not doing something that needs to be done
• You don’t know something that needs to be done
• You’re doing something wrong – you don’t necessarily know it’s wrong
• You’re trying to do something that is impossible to achieve

At a very basic level, there are just 2 things you need to do to get the results you so desperately want…

Know what to do

and

Do what needs to be done

It’s important that we start from this basic understanding, so that you don’t miss any of the important possible variables that could be preventing you from getting results, although these appear simple to overcome the devil is in the detail, and this detail is specific to you and your situation.

Let’s have a look at each of the reasons why you might not be getting the results you want. Although these are a great starting point, remember that we are highlighting a framework here, to start your journey of discovery from. You will require further insight to make this framework more relevant to your particular situation. However this framework applies to such diverse goals as weight loss, improving fitness, wealth building, success in business, relationships and much more.

#1 – You don’t know what is wanted, you lack a defined goal.

Make your goals specific and measurable. Focus on outcomes and results rather than activities. It’s really not about working on the pursuit of your goal for 16 hours a day and seeing yourself as an hard working go-getter. A few hours are fine, if that’s sufficient time to do what needs to be done. As long as you’re laser focusing on achieving results, rather than clocking up your working time, it’s about working smarter rather than harder, being effective rather than efficient.

Clearly visualise the outcome, what does it feel like, look like, taste like when you reach your goal? Align your goal with your purpose (be true to yourself). Make sure you’re doing it for the right reasons, doing it for you, not others You don’t want to spend time striving to achieve a goal that once achieved makes you feel empty and dissatisfied because it wasn’t in keeping with “who you are”.

#2- Doing something wrong – you don’t know it’s wrong and don’t know something that needs to be done.

Both these points concern undertaking research and gathering accurate information that will allow you to achieve your goal. Without accurate knowledge, about how to do what needs doing, the results you crave are going to be hard to come by.

Layout the assumed essential elements of the process required to achieve your intended goal. Research each of the steps in the process using role models and study the models, systems, habits and relationships that they have adopted to achieve what you’re aiming to achieve (more about this here). This should be your starting point only and you should aim to work from this point, testing possible variations to see what works specifically for you. It’s a trial and error approach that often leads to the best results for many goals.

#3- Knowingly not doing something that needs to be done.

This is about failing to take appropriate action and involves both motivation and productivity components.

Motivation

It’s important to stay motivated, you’ve got to want to change and be inspired to take action. There are a number of motivation hacks to help in this process such as doing the hard things early in the day when your will-power is fully charged.

Being persistent and not allowing failure to diminish your drive is also important when you hit hurdles during your journey.

Productivity

Work with priority and focus, be effective not efficient, work smart not hard. Productivity is a whole book in itself, we have lots of productivity help for you if you decide to sign up with us.

#4- Trying to do something that is impossible.

It’s important not to put artificial limitations on yourself. You might not strictly be able to run a 100 miles per hour, but you can find ways to travel at that speed aided. It’s about looking for alternative ways of getting the job done, but also understand that there are some things that are currently impossible to achieve. However if someone else has already done what you’re aiming to do, then it can be done again for sure.

Challenges

Underestimating Goals

Sometimes pursuing your goal is not as easy as going from A to B to C. Be prepared to be flexible in your approach. Lookout for feedback and review progress as you go. Think outside the box if you need to and approach situations from a different angle. Look to how role models have succeeded in achieving what you’re aiming to do.

Look at trends to see where things are headed in the future. You need to be effective by doing the right thing. Don’t allow difficulties to diminish your motivation. Build on each successful day.

Test and practice, measure and monitor results. Tweak and begin the process again until you achieve your goal. Be adaptable, be prepared to be flexible in your approach. Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result is the definition of madness.

Avoid Fear

The fear of failure, rejection, change, embarrassment, being vulnerable are often manifested through things like procrastination, defending your position, staying within your comfort zone and remaining stuck in your ways, avoidance, over complicating situations, insisting on perfection and giving up too early.

These are all signs of underlying fear and this is holding you back from doing what’s necessary to push past this and do what’s required. Be prepared to take calculated risks, waiting for the perfect time to reveal itself is foolish, because it simply will never be the perfect time. Take action sooner rather than later. Get in the game! You’ve got to be in it to win it.

Create opportunities, “do”, focus, face challenges head on, learn from your failings, and be committed to your cause.

Acquire practiced expertise

There is no substitute for practice in developing certain skills. There is no short cut when developing a skill that can’t be taught or learned quickly. Some skills are only attained through deliberate practice and doing repetitively over a prolonged period of time. Things like motor skills, intuition, co ordination, muscle memory, seeing variables that less experienced people just can’t see, are improved and strengthened over time.

In many instances, if you haven’t got the time to invest in developing such skills you can allows look to hire people who already possess these skills to do it for you, if you have the necessary financial resources.

Conclusion

Stripping it back to basics helps clarify the underlying requirements for you to achieve your goal. The sheer number and variety of human goals requires a unique set of approaches for each goal you may have, but using each of the points highlighted above will provide a framework to start from.

Some health based goals may require more of a motivational focused approach than say, wealth accumulation goals, where knowledge or productivity may be the main focus. Most goals will require differing amounts of knowledge, motivation and productivity based skills developing as you progress towards the successful completion of those goals. Life is as much about the journey as the destination, so make that journey as enjoyable an experience as possible as you make progress towards goal achievement.

Getting Results: The role MOTIVATION has to play in Success

Get Results: motivation — Get Results: Motivation

Motivation is probably the single biggest area of consideration when looking to get results, to become a success, get things done, or make things happen. Why is that you may ask? Well under the umbrella of motivation come things like fear, internal conflict, inaction and plain laziness, not to mention how we are impacted by the people around us, and their effect on our motivation levels.

It really can be a minefield or mindfield as l prefer to call it. Because most, if not all motivation is in our minds. It comes to us via our inner dialogue. It’s partly due to our social conditioning, and our personal history.

Motivation has a number of components ranging from being emotionally moved enough to take action, to overcome fears that hold us in imagined constraints.

Although there is much more to it than simply using words to find inspiration, words can help us think more positively and constructively, indeed can raise our spirits and prevent the negativity of our minds from paralysing us from taking action in pursuit of our goals. I’ve including some motivational quotes to help add some positivity to our thought processes. It’s a small but meaningful start to increasing motivation. Please sign up for more in-depth insights into Getting Results here