What are the most important problem-solving tools for leaders in the workplace?

The 5 Whys has shown to be effective when it comes to narrowing down the issues to get to the root of the problem. However, it then becomes the responsibility of the leader to take action toward that problem. That's the final step-Action. Leaders who resist taking action at the final step because it is a difficult conversation or it may lead to an uncomfortable situation will suffer here. It's not enough to figure out the problem; leaders must be willing to take the action to fix it.

Root cause, mitigation and solve. Identifying the root cause must be the top priority in order to avoid similar mistakes going forward. The stop gap or mitigation plan stops the bleeding or reduces the immediate risk. The goal is to identify the best solution, not just a solution, to perform using superior problem solving skills.

Most problems are complex and convoluted. There are many useful tools and frameworks one could use to define the problem, but most are cumbersome and time intensive. A simple but effective method is to ask "what the problem is not". This helps the mind to focus on exclusion of topics, and keeps anxiety at bay. Also, the old school tools work - you will be surprised to see jow quick and effective the Eisenhower Matrix or the OODA loop can be when the problem needs to be solved quickly!

In my leadership weekly meetings I like to follow the EOS wordlide approach of timeboxing quick updates, but then focussing on a trackabel 'identify the issue' and 'discuss solutions' as the bulk of the meeting. I maintain this issues and actions log and we make sure it never grows too large week on week. The list should always be in priority order and have a sense of 'category' so it is easy to delegate to departmental owners

Defining the problem accurately is crucial. I've discovered that tackling issues at their root is one of the most effective strategies when given the space and opportunity to uncover true causes. Regrettably, many organizations prefer temporary fixes, worsening issues instead of thoroughly resolving them. It's important to understand that every effective solution stems from a well-defined problem and drilling down with “why” is a perfect way to get to the nitty gritty. Doing so helps ensure that the outcome fully addresses the issue, rather than providing a partial or temporary fix. Remember, a precise understanding of the problem leads to a solution that truly works as intended.

Generating alternatives is a crucial problem-solving tool for leaders in the workplace, which I've found particularly effective. Exploring various solutions has often been key to successfully resolving complex issues. When faced with a significant team conflict, instead of immediately opting for a standard mediation process, I facilitated a brainstorming session where team members could propose various approaches to address the conflict. Generating multiple alternatives encouraged creative thinking and ensured that all voices were heard, leading to a more inclusive and effective resolution. It also allowed the team to weigh the pros and cons of different options, fostering a sense of ownership and collaboration in decision-making.

The biggest problem is to find and list alternatives quickly which are not self-evident. A great tool for this is the expanded SWOT analysis used in competitive intelligence. This forces you to methodicaly combine the strengths, weaknesses, opportunties and threats in a methodical manner. Not only will it yield new insights, it will be quick, pragmatic and zero-risk.

I beleive in building and operating data led organisations. Although intuition can colour in the gaps, the decisions should start and end with the key data. Capture the right data, will allow you to make the right decisions, without too much emotional bias creeping in. Its also the way to get wider buy-in. data is objective. Therefore everybody should see the value in the right selection.

Mistakes here can be summed up in two words - expectations and assumptions. If no resources are allocated to the solution, then you are in for a rough time. If your solution is complex, or not pragmatic, you will create a bigger mess. A simple way to avoid this is merely to ask yourself "What should I not do" and "In what sequence should I do things".

Write-down the decision making criteria - such that when you are monitoring you can determine at which point(s) re-evaluations may be needed basis some of the inputs changing or materializing in a different way than what was previously thought. This also limits constant self-doubt and re-questioning decisions made.

make sure you implement an operational dashboard, that can be referred to routinely, with RAG indicators and health assessment of each key area or topic you want to monitor. Ensure they have leading and lagging indicators, otherwise you wont have the runway to react accordingly

What gets measured gets done. Sequence matters. Time allocation matters. Simplicity matters. If during the implementation phase it looks like you will deviate from your original solution, but the problem will still get solved, forge ahead. The more complex the problem, the more you will drift to a 70% differential from your initial plan - we have Mintzberg's theory of Design vs Emergence to thank for this.

When trying to confront problems people tend to go 'conclusion shopping', or they fall in love with their own ideas. Or they just end up making a bigger mess. Some problems can actually disappear without intervention, or just by doing less. It sounds crazy, but there is a whole school of thought based on this - 'value creation through cessation'. In the bigger scheme of things, one wants to remember that you problems never get solved, they just get displaced or morphed into something else. But 'solving' problems allows us to confront limitation, which is where we can truly create value.

The most effective tool not mentioned here is developing your team to be problem solvers themselves. Everyone on the team should be encouraged and empowered to be problem solvers. Collectively, that assures that leaders are not burdened with always solving everyone's problems, and two, it creates a group think which is activated toward solving problems. That generates more and unique ideas toward the issues, which is a win for everyone.

think culture. If you allow for curious and courageous mindsets, the problem solving will be routine and driven from your people. If you harbour a culture of fear and blame, problems are instead covered over, and the people just become good at hiding the issue rather than resolving it. At which point it would all have to fall onto you (and probably justifiably if your culture is wrong)

If you want your employees to be problem solvers foster a culture of innovation by stamping out the blame game. Blaming people for mistakes kills innovation and creates environments where people won't take initiative for fear of the consequences. When that psychological safety is absent people wait to be told what to do by their leader.