It's basics for managers

1. Welcome
1
Akhil Garg
1974 post-graduate from Indian School of Mines

2. 2
Session topic is
Creative Problem Solving
Again, a topic of
Management skills

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I am here before you as …
A management-systems expert
Sr Member, ASQ – since 1999
with listing as Expert on their
Virtual Quality Network
Analyst, Trainer, Auditor for various Management
Systems …. since 1993
Quality, Environment, Social Accountability, Health & Safety,
Information Security, Energy Performance, Health Care,
Laboratories
[ISO 9001, ISO 14001, SA8000, OHSAS 18001, ISO/IEC 27001, ISO 50001, ISO 17025]

4. 4
… and
A transactional analyst &
counselor for individuals, couples, families, groups,
and organizations.
Member ITAA since 1999

5. We will discuss ….
• Meaning of the term Creative Problem Solving
• Concepts of Creativity, Problems, and Solutions
• Processes involved in Creative Problem Solving
• Modes of human thinking
• Barriers of thinking
5

6. 6
Something to do with –
Solving a problem, when it is found
What this communicates to you?
“ Creative Problem Solving ”
Or
Finding out a problem and then trying to solve it
  
Let us start from here …..

7.  It is the name of a specific technique
 The technique, basically for managing change
 The technique (or process),
o which has a specific approach
o Which has been proven and validated
 Now, seen like a computer software
 A Trademark and Copyrighted name
 Now, running into vs 6.1 TM
 First evolved by Osborn and Parnes
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Creative Problem Solving – as a term

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Creative Problem Solving – developed by
Alex Osborn (1888-1966)
an American advertisement
executive and educator
Dr Sidney Parnes (1922-2013)
an American psychologist
and educator
Later, contributed by many others
Noller, Flrestein,
Isaksen, Trefflnger, Dorval

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Creative Problem Solving – a process
It is a process ….
From defining problems
To implementing solutions
Finding out a problem and then solving it
  

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Creative Problem Solving – a process
As the name suggests,
this process/technique involves ….
 Some problem
 Related Solution
 Creativity to arrive at it
Let us see, what all these terms mean
– in management

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What is called a
PROBLEM ?

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In organizational management
Anything that is
undesirable or unplanned
Problem
Different meanings in different streams –
psychology, sociology, science, mathematics, etc, etc …
A problem can be …
 Ill-defined – no clarity in goal, solution path, expected solution
 Well-defined – clear/specific goal, solution path, expected solution

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In organizational management
Anything that is undesirable or unplanned
Problem
Does it mean …
If undesirable/unplanned has
not happened – No Problem
  
Let us see what is the approach in
organizational-management towards
PROBLEMS

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But
Management approach towards ‘problems’
Approach in Traditional Management is ….
No problem till undesirable has not happened
So, manage (= even curb, suppress) so that
undesirable does not happen
Approach in Modern Management is ….
Even potentially undesirable is a problem
(Situations are problems – not their consequences)
So, surface it out, even if so far not happened;
Since, problems are opportunities for improvement

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• One of the basic ideological premises of
modern management
• Requires a totally new approach of
handling
• Even term ‘problem’ is replaced
Management approach towards ‘problems’
This approach in Modern Management ...
Even potentially undesirable is a problem
• A paradigm shift

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Now, let us see
what is called a
Solution to a problem

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1. To mitigate or reverse the resulted harm
2. To prevent that problem will never recur
where it had occurred
3. To prevent that problem will never occur
even there where it has so far not occurred
Solution to a Problem means …
Altogether, THREE actions
Again a paradigm shift

18. Now …
What is CREATIVITY ?
18

19. It is different than
Discovery Innovation
Imitation Development
Designing …. ….
19
Creativity
A process whereby something new is created,
which is …
o Unique – novel, not known before
o Imaginative
o Worthwhile – having some purpose and value

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Creativity - Etymology
o Around 17th centaury – Accepted as possible
under human capabilities
(As against “Human can only discover,
only divine powers can create”)
o Late 14th centaury – Term ‘create’ came to
English [ ‘Creator’ was the word before for ‘divine powers’ ]
o Late 16th centaury – Term ‘creative’ came to
English
o In 1859 – Term ‘creativity’ came to English
dictionary

21. An interpersonal attitude of a person
(= a part of personality)
Which enables him/her to beneficially and
positively combine his/her 3 factors
- Knowledge, Imagination, Evaluation
To bring out something that is novel/unique
and useful for some purpose
21
Creativity
Creativity is C = fa (K,I,E) Noller’r Formula

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Creative Problem Solving
CPS technique combines all
these 3 concepts to offer a
comprehensive process …
o from Identifying a Problem
o to Evolving Unique Solution
o to Implementing Found Solution
Total process having 8 steps
- 3 steps
- 2 steps
- 3 steps

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CPS process
40 %40 %
20 %

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CPS process
o Each of 8 steps -- extensively researched, defined
and validated by Osborn, Parnes, many others
o In each of 3 stages -- specifically designed
thinking methods are used, to evolve the ‘best
solution’ in the given context of the situation.
• For – Divergent Thinking
• For – Convergent Thinking
What is thinking ?

25. Thinking covers
o Building up the logic (= Pragmatics)
o Interpretation of the facts (= Semantics)
• All can think
• Thinking is influenced by psychological barriers
Perceptions, Values, Beliefs, Resistances, Feelings,
Memories, Experiences, Attitudes, Expectations,
Stresses, …. , ….
Most damaging are
RIGIDITY PREJUDICES

26. Objectivity
Structural Ego State Model of Human
(Simplified)
Values
Feelings
Set of Phenomena
copied from ‘parental figures’
Set of Phenomena
gained from ‘verified experiences’
Set of Phenomena
replayed from ‘own childhood’

27. Values
Feelings
Objectivity
Prejudices
Rigidity
‘Anger’ / ‘stubbornness’
while explaining
not ‘conviction’
Structural Ego State Model of Human
(Simplified)

28. Let us see
how we think ?

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Human has known only 4 ways of thinking
Thinking Modes in Human
 Feedback Thinking
 Feed-forward Thinking
 Logical Thinking
 Dynamic Thinking

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Think when there is a signal
Targets not met – what to do ?
Thinking Modes in Human
 Feed-forward Thinking
 Logical Thinking
 Dynamic Thinking
 Feedback Thinking (1,50,000 years ago)
Used by primitive man , Neanderthals

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Think to influence the future
To decide future targets – what to do ?
Thinking Modes in Human
 Logical Thinking
 Dynamic Thinking
 Feed-forward Thinking (50,000 years ago)
Used by our developed ancestors, Cro-Magnons
 Feedback Thinking - 1,50,000 years old

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Think based on cause-and-effect
Targets should not miss – what to do ?
Thinking Modes in Human
 Dynamic Thinking
 Logical Thinking (500 years ago, yr 1550s)
Developed during Renaissance
(triggered Scientific Approach)
 Feedback Thinking - 1,50,000 years old
 Feed-forward Thinking - 50,000 years old

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Think to take care of complexity,
unpredictability, vulnerability, changeability
(eg, of surroundings, employees)
All should be involved with targets
– what to do ?
Thinking Modes in Human
 Dynamic Thinking (50 years ago, yr 1950s)
Developed after need emerged to manage nonlinear
/ non-predictive systems, eg, living systems
(triggered Systems Approach)
 Feedback Thinking - 1,50,000 years old
 Feed-forward Thinking - 50,000 years old
 Logical Thinking – 500 years old

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Specific thinking techniques
have been developed
specially for
Systems Management
where all above 4 are integrated
for most effective solutions

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Thanks