Problem Solving abilities impacts Personal success in life, Success as a team, and The success of your business. Effective problem solving offers an opportunity to move forward, rather than mitigate a setback.  Identifying the strengths and weaknesses of team as they relate to problem solving create a competitive advantage for organization.

1. APPROACHES TO PROBLEM SOLVING- HOW
DOES YOUR MIND WORK?
REF-LISA WOODS IN PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Compiled by Col Mukteshwar Prasad(Retd),
Mtech(IITD),CE(I),FIE(I),FIETE,FISLE,FInstOD,AMCSI
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2. 6 APPROACHES TO PROBLEM SOLVING- HOW
DOES YOUR MIND WORK?
• Problem Solving abilities impacts
• Personal success in life,
• Success as a team, and
• The success of your business.
• Effective problem solving offers an opportunity to move forward, rather
than mitigate a setback.
• Identifying the strengths and weaknesses of team as they relate to problem
solving create a competitive advantage for organization.

3. Six Common Approaches to Problem Solving:
• 1: Analytical Problem Solving
• An analytical thinker has the ability to
• Get into the detail of a problem,
• Evaluate all components & perspectives to understand it and
• Determine what’s missing.
• Analytical thinkers
• Ask questions to fill in any gaps to foresee next steps.
• Have confidence in their ability and make assumptions & decisions
because of their constructive fact finding process.
• Although their assumptions are credible & decisions well supported, yet
• May not move quickly to a solution in absence of all the facts.
• Fact-finding process takes time,
• May not offer any opinions unless specifically asked.

4. Six Common Approaches to Problem Solving:
• 2: Logical Problem Solving
• A logical thinker has the ability to
• Continuously collect detail and put it into sequence,
• To see the big picture &
• Evaluate where the problem exists and why.
• Using historical data, they infer solutions based on similar earlier
situations.
• If this worked before it may work again
• In the absence of past similar situation may apply adjacent situation (Best
fit) to arrive at new solution
• 3: Rational Problem Solving
• A rational problem solver has the ability to
• Take information that is available &
• Make assumptions based on that information,
• Deduce the most optimal solution based on his personal perspective

5. Six Common Approaches to Problem Solving:
• 4: Absolute Problem Solving
• An absolute problem solver has the ability to see
• A problem as black or white and
• A solution as right or wrong.
• They try to find that solution by seeking an authoritative source that can
confirm the answer.
• They often have difficulty moving past a problem without affirmation that
they are moving forward with an accepted approach.
• They infer a solution that worked elsewhere must work in a parallel situation.

6. Six Common Approaches to Problem Solving:
• 5: Creative Problem Solving
• A creative problem solver has the ability to
– Envision several outcomes,
– Make assumptions as to achieve an outcome &
– Willing to take risks because they have confidence in their own judgment.
• Creative thinkers start from scratch and are not limited by steps or processes;
• They create unique paths and new solutions.
• The limitation of creative problem solving is
• There is no limit to the creative process.
• Struggle for deadline / budget constraint etc.
• Because they have difficulty focusing and can lose sight of more obvious
solutions.

7. Six Common Approaches to Problem Solving:
• 6: Positive Problem Solving
• A positive problem solver has the ability
• To compartmentalize a problem as an individual event and
• Seek solutions with an open mind.
• Predict improvement and are more open to finding ways of achieving it
• They are not restricted by fears or past results
• They hook on opportunities to improve and collaborate.
• They may not hold situations or individuals accountable when they are
required to do so thus
• Problems reoccur several times before solutions are put in place because
they are not pragmatic enough to solve the issues.
• By understanding the different paths, you can open the door to the best
problem solving technique for a given situation.
• Team Problem Solving Strategy
• Chances are that you may have more than one type of problem solver in your

8. Steps to Make Team’s Problem Solving Strategy a Competitive Advantage
• 1. Align yourself, and each of your team members with one of the 6
problem solving STRENGTHS:
• Ability to get into the detail of a problem and evaluate all components &
perspectives to understand it and determine what’s missing.
• Ability to continuously collect detail and put it into sequence, see the big
picture, evaluate where the problem exists and why.
• Ability to take information that is available and make assumptions based on
that information, deducting the most optimal solution based on personal
perspective.
• Ability to see a problem as black or white and a solution as right or wrong by
seeking authoritative approval & consensus.
• Ability to envision several outcomes, make assumptions as to what needs to
be done to achieve an outcome & is willing to take risks because they have
confidence in their own judgment.
• Ability to compartmentalize a problem as an individual event and seek
solutions with an open mind.

9. Steps to Make Team’s Problem Solving Strategy a Competitive Advantage
• 2.Take the same approach to align yourself and your team with one or
more of the 6 problem solving WEAKNESSES:
• Difficulty moving quickly enough to a solution without all the facts.
• Difficulty developing a unique solution when comparative situations from the
past do not exist.
• Difficulty seeing things from perspectives other than their own.
• Difficulty making decisions to move past a problem, without affirmation that
they are moving forward with an accepted approach.
• Difficulty focusing when faced with a deadline or budget constraint, losing
sight of more obvious solutions.
• Difficulty being pragmatic enough to solve the issues, allowing problems to
reoccur several times before a solution is put in place.

10. Steps to Make Team’s Problem Solving Strategy a Competitive Advantage
• 3.Discuss the Problem Solving Evaluation Process, Strengths &
Weaknesses with your team as a whole, as well as the Individual
Evaluation with each team member one-on-one.
• Train your team on problem solving mindsets, making it an open discussion
amongst them.
• Work with each individual to overcome their weaknesses by leaning on other
team members who can use their strengths to assist.
• Sharing conclusion with the team depends on you and situation
• Team members may also decide to share the information on their own.
• 4.Now you are now ready to tackle your next business problem!
• Once a problem is identified-
• Assign the problem to one team member to lead the solution process
based on their strengths.
• Assign other team members as support based on leader’s weaknesses.
• Team approach will get the best, most competitive solution faster.