One of the most interesting things in organisations, the corporate world and economies is the little attention to what matters most in producing performance and results. People are place in different positions mostly not based on assessments that are based on the performance and results they are required to produce, but by criteria and credentials more rooted in general academic education than in real work skills and abilities. The Peter Principle that many people are promoted to their levels of incompetence may sound like a joke, but one is tempted to believe it given the state of affairs. Many people are more educated than they are trained, developed and equipped to excel in their positions and jobs. Organisations largely run on assumptions and beliefs that than on logic and fact. It is a tragedy.

Problem solving is one of the most important but ignored areas in organisations, the corporate world and economies. Sometimes, leaders and managers often talk about it but in many other cases, they just talk about it, they then do not invest in developing problem solving abilities among their staff. They do not develop any structured approaches nor guidelines for problem solving to help the organisation quickly and effectively solve problems. The result is that many people in many organisations solve problems in a difficult, slow or inefficient way, while many others are unable to solve serious problems which they either sweep under the carpet or toss them to their bosses or subordinates. This lack of problem solving skills, problem solving solutions and standard approaches contributes to organisational underperformance and mediocrity. People in organisations and economies, especially in top leadership and top management positions must seriously be taught, trained in problem solving.

The Teaching and training in Problem Solving

The teaching and training in organisations and economies in problem solving must begin with elementary basic theory because many if not all people in organisations and economies have not been exposed to some correct, accurate complete and practical theory in problem solving. Worse still, it is almost one hundred percent correct in one hundred percent of the times that leaders or managers in any organisation are likely to have markedly if not vastly different understandings and concepts of problem solving. Therefore the basic introduction must revolve around the following questions;

1.      What is a problem?

2.      What makes a problem a problem?

3.      What are the different types of problems

4.      What are the typical economic, business, environmental, economic, corporate or global problems?

5.      What causes problems to crop up?

6.      How do problems emerge and evolved?

7.      What are some of the problem management models that exist and what is their relative impact and importance?

8.      Why are problems difficult to solve than others?

9.      How does one become a problem solver?

10.  What is the morphology and structure of problems?

11.  What are the different ways of solving problems?

12.  What is a solution?

13.  What makes a solution a solution?

14.  What are the different types of solutions?

15.  Where do solutions come from?

16.  Why do we sometimes fail to get solutions from

17.  How does one become a solution developer and provider

Develop a Problem Solving Culture

Many organisations and economies are field with problem creators and problem-oriented thinkers. Problem creators talk and behave in ways that create, perpetuate problems rather than avoid or solve them. Problem oriented thinkers lock their minds on problems and play a merry go round around them, narrating them, articulating them, blaming them for their plight, accusing others for having caused them and complaining why others are not solving the problems. Problem oriented thinking includes waiting for someone else to solve the problems.

In a problem solving cultures, people focus on solutions and not on problem. They resist being stuck in the problem thinking mode, blame no one, accept full responsibility for solving the problems and they go on and do what they can to solve the problems. People in a problem solving culture have no time for blame games or for accusing others for having caused the problems. They know that blaming and accusing others is not a solution; it does not make a problem go away.  They that the only way to solve problems is to confront them head on.  

Develop Simple Problem Solving Solutions, Guidelines, Protocols and Procedures for all Important and Recurring Problems.

Many important problems companies, organisations, businesses, countries and institutions face are either recurring or have occurred somewhere else and have been solved before. This means their solutions already exist. But you see many companies, organisations, businesses and economies still struggling with problems whose solutions already exist or taking too long to solve the problems when they could solve them fast if they had readymade problem solving solutions, guidelines, protocols and procedures!

Use Consciously Structured Thinking to Solve Problems

There are some problems that cannot be solved by knowledge or by existing solutions; they need original thinking. When thinking is involved in thinking, there is need to use conscious, structured thinking to maximise on the brain’s thinking and problem solving capacity.

Consciously structured thinking involves consciously deciding the types of thinking, approaches, models and tools to use in solving a problem. There are many types of thinking available for problem solving including;

1.      Analytical thinking

2.      Synthetic thinking

3.      Productive thinking

4.      Imagination

5.      Metaphorical thinking

6.      Storying

7.      Creative thinking

8.      Brain storming

9.      Brain mining

10.  De bono Six Thinking Hats

11.  Einstein’s levels of thinking

12.  Visual thinking

13.  Intuitive thinking

14.  Time pacing

15.  Process oriented thinking

16.  Reproductive thinking

17.  Divergent thinking

18.  Convergent thinking

19.  Breakthrough thinking

20.  Substitution

21.  Questionology

22.  The

23.  SWOT

24.  The 52WH Method

25.  The modelling method

26.  Specific problem solving solutions and tools

27.  The incubation method

28.  The Mindmapping method

29.  The algorithm approach

This approach provides solutions faster than trial and error and problem are solved more effectively and more efficient when compared to trial and error.

Use the Strategic Problem Management Approach

Most organisations, companies and institutions and their leaders, managers and professionals use a tactical reactive approach to problems. They react to problems when they appear in front of them from nowhere. When there are no problems in front of them, they operate as if problems will never arise. They do the same with opportunities.

The most powerful way of dealing with problems is by using the  strategic problem management approach. With this approach, you develop a comprehensive framework for dealing with problems that include;

1.      Preventing problems from occurring

2.      Anticipating problems way before they actually occur

3.      Responding well in advance of the brewing problems to fully prepare a response either to stop them from ever starting or from getting out of proportion or to minimise their impact

4.      Developing strategic readiness to deal effectively with all important problems should they arise.

Conclusion

Comparing with what has been described here, what is your current problem solving capacity, capabilities and strategic readiness to deal with recurring and new problems now and in the future?

Are you going to read this and throw it away or you are going to take action to ensure you and your organisation have upped their game in managing problems?

Your next problem might be the one that will deliver the greated damage to your company, business, organisation or economy is you maintain the status-quo.

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