Your team is stuck on a problem. How can you help them find the solution?

When your team is stuck on a problem, guiding them through a structured problem-solving process can help unlock creativity and drive toward a solution. Here's how you can facilitate this process effectively, based on the points you've mentioned: 1. Identify the Root Cause Begin by digging deeper to understand the underlying cause of the problem. Tools like the "5 Whys" technique can be helpful here. By asking "why" multiple times (typically five), you can peel away the layers of symptoms to reach the core issue.

The first step is to have a thorough understanding of the problem, i.e. DEFINING the problem. In many cases, whatever observed might actually be the symptoms instead of the actual problem(s). Asking the 5 Ws and 1 H questions would be a good starting point.

At the onset of any roadblock, pinpointing the root cause is imperative. This step is not just about understanding the problem at surface level but diving deep to uncover its core. Identifying the core of the problem is also important to ensure that we have brought in the correct subject matter experts (SMEs) needed for resolution.

The second step is to EVALUATE the situation, i.e. prioritize based on the importance and urgency. If a problem is not urgent, you may not need to deal with it right away. If a problem is life threatening, all needed steps will be used.

2. Define the Problem Statement Craft a clear and concise problem statement that summarizes the issue at hand. This statement should be specific enough to guide the problem-solving process but broad enough to allow for creative solutions. A well-defined problem statement sets the stage for effective brainstorming.

3. Generate Possible Solutions Encourage the team to brainstorm potential solutions without judgment. The goal is to generate a wide range of ideas, encouraging creativity and out-of-the-box thinking. Techniques such as brainwriting, where team members write down ideas on paper before sharing them, can help ensure all voices are heard.

4. Evaluate and Select the Best Solution Once a list of potential solutions has been generated, guide the team in evaluating the pros and cons of each option. Consider factors like feasibility, impact, resources required, and potential risks. Use decision-making tools like decision matrices to objectively select the most viable solution.

Before narrowing down to the final solution, it's crucial to engage with end-users or clients. This ensures their buy-in and confirms the feasibility of the proposed solutions, aligning closely with their needs and perspectives. This step not only enhances the quality of our solutions but also strengthens stakeholder engagement and satisfaction.

I would say this is the step for Implementing, monitoring and learning. A problem is a learning experience for us to prevent the same problem from happening again or resolve it with a more organized manner.

Making the problem solving experience as a learning opportunity so that we can have a way to prevent a problem from happening again and/or have a better approach to solve the problem.

There are many different ways but I have been promoting a 5-step process: 1. Define the problem 2. Evaluate the situation 3. Generate the solutions 4. Perform trade-off analysis 5. Implement, monitor and learn This should be good enough to solve a problem solving problem :-)

- Reframe the Problem... Rephrase the problem to ensure everyone has a clear understanding of the issue you are facing. - Think Outside the Box ... sometimes, the best solutions come from unexpected places - Break it Down... if the problem feels overwhelming, break it down into smaller and manageable parts.