Steps for Problem SolvingSteps for Problem Solving

Chapter 6, Lesson 2

OverviewOverview

• What are common group problems?What are common group problems?

• What are common indicators of group What are common indicators of group problems?problems?

• What are the six steps of problem solving?What are the six steps of problem solving?

Chapter 6, Lesson 2

Quick WriteQuick Write

Think of a group you have belonged to. Think of a group you have belonged to. Write down two or three problems that Write down two or three problems that

the group experienced. the group experienced.

How did members resolve their difficulties? How did members resolve their difficulties? What was the role of the leader in What was the role of the leader in

helping fix problems? helping fix problems?

What was the role of the group members?What was the role of the group members?

Chapter 6, Lesson 2

Common Group ProblemsCommon Group Problems

• All groups and teams have problems of one kind or All groups and teams have problems of one kind or another another

• The need to pay attention to details of a team’s The need to pay attention to details of a team’s performance problems can eat up a leader’s time performance problems can eat up a leader’s time and energy and energy

• Good leaders get ahead of the curve by anticipating Good leaders get ahead of the curve by anticipating the bigger problems the bigger problems

• AnticipatingAnticipating a problem is thinking about what could a problem is thinking about what could happen and preparing for issues before they arise happen and preparing for issues before they arise

Chapter 6, Lesson 2

Common Group ProblemsCommon Group Problems

• Types of groups or teams that seem to Types of groups or teams that seem to attract problems most often:attract problems most often:– the the mismatched mismatched team team – the the out-of-control out-of-control team team – the the bickering bickering team team – the the stalled stalled team team – the the leaderless leaderless team team

Chapter 6, Lesson 2

Common Indicators of Common Indicators of Group ProblemsGroup Problems

• Continually missing Continually missing deadlinesdeadlines

• Producing poor workProducing poor work• Frequently being absent Frequently being absent

without an excusewithout an excuse• Overcelebrating small Overcelebrating small

achievements unrelated to achievements unrelated to the team goalsthe team goals

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Chapter 6, Lesson 2

Common Indicators of Common Indicators of Group ProblemsGroup Problems

• Speaking rudely or bluntly to each otherSpeaking rudely or bluntly to each other• Criticizing fellow team members to Criticizing fellow team members to

outsidersoutsiders• Pursuing individual goals at the expense Pursuing individual goals at the expense

of team objectivesof team objectives• Constantly involving the leader in Constantly involving the leader in

putting out firesputting out fires

Chapter 6, Lesson 2

Common Indicators of Common Indicators of Group ProblemsGroup Problems

• Asking others to do their workAsking others to do their work• Failing to contribute to meetingsFailing to contribute to meetings• Playing the “blame game” when things Playing the “blame game” when things

don’t go according to plandon’t go according to plan• Taking individual credit for group Taking individual credit for group

successes or others’ accomplishmentssuccesses or others’ accomplishments

Chapter 6, Lesson 2

Effect of Problems on Team MoraleEffect of Problems on Team Morale

• The need to intervene in petty disagreements The need to intervene in petty disagreements among members can be a constant drain on a among members can be a constant drain on a leader’s energy leader’s energy

• These problems can affect not only the These problems can affect not only the group’s performance and results but also its group’s performance and results but also its moralemorale

• The effects of low morale can be slow, The effects of low morale can be slow, subtle, and devastating to the group’s subtle, and devastating to the group’s success success

Chapter 6, Lesson 2

Six Steps for Problem SolvingSix Steps for Problem Solving

1.1. Recognize the problemRecognize the problem

2.2. Gather dataGather data

3.3. List possible solutionsList possible solutions

4.4. Test possible solutionsTest possible solutions

5.5. Select the best solutionSelect the best solution

6.6. Implement the solutionImplement the solution

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Chapter 6, Lesson 2

Recognize the ProblemRecognize the Problem

• The first step is to recognize and define the The first step is to recognize and define the problemproblem

• To do this, you need to get at its root causeTo do this, you need to get at its root cause• A A root causeroot cause is a significant, deeper issue that is a significant, deeper issue that

underlies group problems and conflictsunderlies group problems and conflicts

• A leader may have to troubleshoot to get at A leader may have to troubleshoot to get at the root causethe root cause

• TroubleshootingTroubleshooting means taking apart a means taking apart a problem and determining what makes it problem and determining what makes it happenhappen

• Once you know the cause, you can begin to Once you know the cause, you can begin to find a solution find a solution

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Chapter 6, Lesson 2

Gather DataGather Data

• You must gather as much information as You must gather as much information as you can, both about the problem and about you can, both about the problem and about possible solutions possible solutions

• You might visit the library or go to the You might visit the library or go to the Internet to gather informationInternet to gather information

• You might interview people who are You might interview people who are familiar with the problem familiar with the problem

• You might bring team members together to You might bring team members together to discuss their views of the problem discuss their views of the problem

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Chapter 6, Lesson 2

List Possible SolutionsList Possible Solutions

• BrainstormingBrainstorming is an effective is an effective technique to use at this stage of technique to use at this stage of the group problem-solving the group problem-solving process process

• Members will feel a part of the Members will feel a part of the solution to a problem if they help solution to a problem if they help create it create it

• The key here—and the key to all The key here—and the key to all group problems—is group problems—is communication communication

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Chapter 6, Lesson 2

List Possible SolutionsList Possible Solutions

• As you build a list of possible solutions to As you build a list of possible solutions to a team problem, you should try to prioritize a team problem, you should try to prioritize and specify as you goand specify as you go

• PrioritizingPrioritizing is putting ideas in order from is putting ideas in order from most to least important, significant, or most to least important, significant, or effectiveeffective

• SpecifyingSpecifying is assigning clear, concrete is assigning clear, concrete values to proposed ideasvalues to proposed ideas

Chapter 6, Lesson 2

Test Possible SolutionsTest Possible Solutions

• You can test solutions “offline”—outside of You can test solutions “offline”—outside of real-world activity, such as in a laboratory or a real-world activity, such as in a laboratory or a focus groupfocus group

• Or you can test solutions in actual practice Or you can test solutions in actual practice

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Chapter 6, Lesson 2

Select the Best SolutionSelect the Best Solution

• Once you’ve narrowed the list of possible solutions, Once you’ve narrowed the list of possible solutions, you need to pick the best one to put into practiceyou need to pick the best one to put into practice

• For a leader, this might involve making a procedural For a leader, this might involve making a procedural change, creating a rule of order, or stating a new team change, creating a rule of order, or stating a new team policy policy

• You’ll be more likely to gain your team members’ You’ll be more likely to gain your team members’ acceptance if you discuss it with them beforehandacceptance if you discuss it with them beforehand

• Once members agree on a solution or vote to ratify a Once members agree on a solution or vote to ratify a change, you should immediately put the rule, policy, or change, you should immediately put the rule, policy, or change into effectchange into effect

• Everyone should know what’s happening and why Everyone should know what’s happening and why

Chapter 6, Lesson 2

Implement the SolutionImplement the Solution

• Implementing some solutions requires sensitive, Implementing some solutions requires sensitive, one-on-one conversations with individual group one-on-one conversations with individual group members about their behaviors and actions members about their behaviors and actions

• The conversations should be objective, The conversations should be objective, straightforward, and professional in tone and straightforward, and professional in tone and content content

• Let members know that improving the team’s Let members know that improving the team’s performance and results are serious issues performance and results are serious issues

Chapter 6, Lesson 2

Implement the SolutionImplement the Solution

• Two things good leaders do as they implement Two things good leaders do as they implement solutions are monitoring and adjusting as they gosolutions are monitoring and adjusting as they go

• MonitoringMonitoring is measuring whether or not a solution is is measuring whether or not a solution is truly workingtruly working

• AdjustingAdjusting is making changes as needed in the solution is making changes as needed in the solution to improve its effectivenessto improve its effectiveness

• When putting a solution into practice, a leader must When putting a solution into practice, a leader must avoid the ownership trapavoid the ownership trap

• The The ownership trapownership trap is the tendency of leaders to is the tendency of leaders to invest too much in a solution at the expense of its invest too much in a solution at the expense of its effectiveness effectiveness

Chapter 6, Lesson 2

Implementing the SolutionImplementing the Solution

Don’t own a solution so much that you can’t Don’t own a solution so much that you can’t adjust when the situation calls for it!adjust when the situation calls for it!

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Chapter 6, Lesson 2

ReviewReview

• Good leaders get ahead of the curve by Good leaders get ahead of the curve by anticipating the bigger problems anticipating the bigger problems

• AnticipatingAnticipating a problem is thinking about what a problem is thinking about what could happen and preparing for issues before they could happen and preparing for issues before they arisearise

• The need to intervene in petty disagreements The need to intervene in petty disagreements among members can be a constant drain on a among members can be a constant drain on a leader’s energy leader’s energy

• These problems can affect not only the group’s These problems can affect not only the group’s performance and results but also its moraleperformance and results but also its morale

Chapter 6, Lesson 2

ReviewReview

• Six steps for problem solving:Six steps for problem solving:1.1. Recognize the problemRecognize the problem

2.2. Gather dataGather data

3.3. List possible solutionsList possible solutions

4.4. Test possible solutionsTest possible solutions

5.5. Select the best solutionSelect the best solution

6.6. Implement the solutionImplement the solution

Chapter 6, Lesson 2

ReviewReview

• A A root causeroot cause is a significant, deeper issue is a significant, deeper issue that underlies group problems and conflictsthat underlies group problems and conflicts

• TroubleshootingTroubleshooting means taking apart a means taking apart a problem and determining what makes it problem and determining what makes it happenhappen

• BrainstormingBrainstorming is an effective technique to is an effective technique to use at the “list possible solutions” stage of use at the “list possible solutions” stage of the group problem-solving processthe group problem-solving process

Chapter 6, Lesson 2

ReviewReview

• Once you’ve narrowed the list of possible Once you’ve narrowed the list of possible solutions, you need to pick the best one to put solutions, you need to pick the best one to put into practiceinto practice

• MonitoringMonitoring is measuring whether or not a is measuring whether or not a solution is truly workingsolution is truly working

• AdjustingAdjusting is making changes as needed in the is making changes as needed in the solution to improve its effectivenesssolution to improve its effectiveness

• When putting a solution into practice, a leader When putting a solution into practice, a leader must avoid the must avoid the ownership trapownership trap

Chapter 6, Lesson 2

SummarySummary

• What are common group problems?What are common group problems?

• What are common indicators of group What are common indicators of group problems?problems?

• What are the six steps of problem solving?What are the six steps of problem solving?

Chapter 6, Lesson 2

NextNext

• Done—steps for problem solvingDone—steps for problem solving

• Next—building consensusNext—building consensus

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