| How good are your employees at finding ways to | | | | the problem (how desired problem-solving behavior will |
| streamline processes, increase sales, or reduce | | | | impact the organization)." |
| complaints? Hopefully great, because these | | | | 3. "If you take the time to identify the pros and cons of |
| represent everyday workplace problems. To solve | | | | solving problems (your desired problem-solving |
| them, employees must know how to do things like | | | | behavior), you might be able to develop solutions more |
| determine root causes of problems, develop | | | | quickly (how desired problem-solving behavior will |
| contingency plans, and track the impact of solutions. | | | | impact the individual)." |
| Unfortunately, employees do not always know or | | | | 4. "If we want to be successful, we have to make |
| possess all the critical skills required to effectively solve | | | | sure that our solutions offer a long-term rather than a |
| problems. The end result is they do a poor job of | | | | short-term fix (how desired problem-solving behavior |
| developing and implementing solutions. You can | | | | will impact the organization). We can do that by |
| enhance the problem-solving capabilities of your | | | | taking the time to determine the root causes of our |
| employees by doing two things. First, identify which | | | | problems (your desired problem-solving behavior). |
| skills contribute to effective solutions. Second, and | | | | 5. "The fact that you always develop a step-by-step |
| most importantly, identify how those skills will help your | | | | action plan when solving problems (your desired |
| organization and the employee. | | | | problem-solving behavior) means that you don't |
| Below are five critical problem-solving skills and ways | | | | overlook any critical steps (how desired |
| you can explain the importance of each: | | | | problem-solving behavior will impact the organization). |
| 1. "You said that you want to learn more about the kind | | | | This approach also helps you solve problems more |
| of projects other people in the organization are | | | | quickly (how desired problem-solving behavior will |
| involved in (how desired problem-solving behavior will | | | | impact the individual)." |
| impact the individual). You can do that if you take the | | | | When you use this approach to talk to employees |
| time to investigate how this problem impacts other | | | | about solving problems, you don't just tell them to |
| stakeholders in our organization (your desired | | | | improve, you give them some suggestions on "how" to |
| problem-solving behavior)." | | | | improve. This increases the likelihood that you will get |
| 2. "Let's look at all the viable options before settling on | | | | the behavior you want. It might also stimulate your |
| a solution (your desired problem-solving behavior). | | | | employee(s) to think of some additional positive |
| That way, we will have several possibilities for solving | | | | behaviors as well. |