What are effective ways for Team Facilitators to develop problem solving skills remotely?

2 Explore the options

Once you have a clear problem statement, you can start exploring the possible options to solve it. This is where you can unleash your creativity and innovation as a team facilitator. You can use various techniques to generate and evaluate ideas, such as mind mapping, SWOT analysis, pros and cons lists, or decision matrix. You can also involve your team members in the process, by creating a safe and supportive environment where they can share their thoughts, opinions, and suggestions. Use online platforms or apps that allow you to collaborate and visualize your ideas, such as Miro, Mural, or Jamboard.

3 Choose the best solution

After you have generated and evaluated several options, you need to choose the best solution for your problem. This can be challenging when you work remotely, as you may face conflicts, disagreements, or biases among your team members or stakeholders. To avoid this, you need to establish clear criteria and standards for selecting the best solution. You can use tools like voting, ranking, or scoring to help you make a fair and transparent decision. You can also explain the rationale and benefits of your chosen solution, and address any concerns or objections that may arise.

4 Implement the solution

The next step in problem solving is to implement the solution that you have chosen. This can be complex when you work remotely, as you may encounter obstacles, delays, or errors along the way. To prevent this, you need to plan and execute your solution carefully and systematically. You can use tools like action plans, Gantt charts, or Kanban boards to help you organize and monitor your tasks, resources, and deadlines. You can also communicate regularly and effectively with your team members, stakeholders, and clients, and update them on your progress, achievements, and challenges.

5 Evaluate the results

The final step in problem solving is to evaluate the results of your solution and measure its impact. This can be difficult when you work remotely, as you may not have access to all the data, feedback, or outcomes that you need. To overcome this, you need to collect and analyze relevant and reliable information that can help you assess your solution's effectiveness and efficiency. You can use tools like surveys, interviews, or analytics to help you gather and interpret your data. You can also reflect and learn from your experience, and identify what worked well and what can be improved.