Leader for Tomorrow
Problem Solving Thinking Styles
De Bono's "Six Thinking Hats"
The Red Hat is guided by feelings and hunches.
The Black Hat is critical and plays the devil’s advocate.
The Blue Hat thinks about process.
The Green Hat generates ideas and thinks out of the box.
The Yellow Hat is positive and constructive.
The White Hat seeks pure facts and figures.
Problem Solving Steps
What is a Problem?
The Seven Steps of
Effective Problem Solving
The word “problem” can take on a special meaning
for each person. It can be used haphazardly to
mean any of the following:
1. Define the problem
2. Identify the objective
3. Identify causes of the problem
PROBLEM
4. Generate solutions
5. Develop action plans
6. Implement
A complex situation
7. Verify and monitor results
Something that has gone
wrong, or the cause of
what has gone wrong
A difficult choice
Future trouble
CEMENT DIVISION
Shortcut to Problem Solving
Problem Solving
Steps and Tools
1. What did we intend to achieve?
2. What actually happened?
OBJECTIVE
PROBLEM
4. What did we learn?
Desired Standard
Corrective Action = Solution
Difference = Problem
3. Why did each result happen?
5. What actions will we take?
6. Who needs to know this?
* Adapted with permission from Kathleen Conway. Original idea from
"learning from Action; Embedding More learning into the
Performance Fast Enough to Make a Difference" by Baird, Holland &
Established
Standards
Deacon, Organizational Dynamics, Spring,1999.
Corrective Action = Solution
Difference = Problem
Actual Situation
PROBLEM SOLVING STEPS & TOOLS
Identify the Objective
PECIFIC
What will happen? (clear, understandable
outcome and action)
Implement – 6 Steps to Action Planning
1. WHAT - IDENTIFY YOUR FOCUS/GOAL
2. HOW - DEFINE ACTION IN DETAIL
3. WHO - ALLOCATE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
4. WHEN - AGREE ON TIMING AND DEADLINES
5. HOW WELL - IDENTIFY KEY SUCCESS FACTORS
6. WHAT IF - IDENTIFY PITFALLS
Brainstorming Rules
EASURABLE
How will we know it’s accomplished?
CCOUNTABLE
Is it within the scope of your accountability?
EALISTIC
Is it possible in this situation?
1. Collect as many ideas as possible from all participants with no
criticisms or judgments made while ideas are being generated.
2. All ideas are welcome no matter how silly or far out they seem. Be
creative.
3. Absolutely no discussion takes place during the brainstorming
activity.
4. Do not criticize or judge.
5. Do build on others' ideas.
6. Do write all ideas on a flipchart or board.
7. Set a time limit for the brainstorming.
Brainstorming Sequence
IME-BOUND
By when will it happen?
Objectives need to clearly state what
needs to be accomplished and
what outcome is expected.
1. Everyone should think about the question silently for a few
moments. Each person might want to jot down his/her ideas on a sheet
of paper.
2. Everyone suggests ideas by calling them out. Another way is to go
around the room and have each person read an idea from his/her list
until all ideas have been written on the board or flipchart.
3. One team member writes down all ideas on board or flipchart.
Making the final selection
1. When all the ideas have been recorded, combine ideas as much as
possible, but only when the original contributors agree.
CEMENT DIVISION