Problems are inevitable at work, but they don't have to ruin your day or your mental health. Solving problems effectively and efficiently can help you reduce stress, improve your performance, and enhance your relationships. In this article, you'll learn some practical tips on how to solve problems at work without getting overwhelmed.
The first step to solving any problem is to define it clearly and accurately. Sometimes, what seems like a problem is actually a symptom of a deeper issue, or a result of miscommunication or misunderstanding. To identify the problem, ask yourself and others involved questions such as: What is the situation? What are the goals and expectations? What are the obstacles and challenges? What are the consequences and impacts? Try to be specific, objective, and realistic when describing the problem.
- Take all perspectives from the people involved - Analyse each , weigh the pros and cons of each input - Involve all the stakeholders in the process - Take inputs from all to resolve the issue - Come to consensus to resolve the issue - This team work will ensure all the stakeholders have a say in the situation and resulting solutions leading to Stress free solution to the Situation
Sometimes it helps to try categorizing the situation for instance: 1. Is it a human problem (resources or lack there of)? 2. Is technology the source of the stress ( too much, too little)? 3. Are there major contributors to the problem (environment, team composition, historical outcomes)?
Au delà des classiques qui? quoi? comment? où? pourquoi?, je vous conseille de pousser votre réflexion un peu plus loin, de chercher s'il n'y a pas derrière le premier niveau de problème identifié, quelque chose de plus grand, de plus général, une formulation plus globale qui pourrait regrouper plusieurs problèmes.
What often happens in the identification phase is that we narrow down the issue too quickly. Try zooming out instead and thinking more broadly. For example, if something is happening for one person, instead of immediately focusing on just that one person, consider if it's happening for others as well. Is it a wider spread problem?
Make sure you identify that there is a specific problem causing anxiety and that sense of being overwhelmed. Sometimes it is actually not a problem, just a minor tweak of a process or realignment of responsibilities or duties, so don't create anxiety and issues when they may not exist. Once you know it's actually a problem, you have to assign it clearly to the end result so you can dig deeper into the specific steps and actions needed.
Once you have a clear definition of the problem, you need to understand its causes, effects, and possible solutions. To analyze the problem, you can use various tools and techniques, such as brainstorming, mind mapping, SWOT analysis, root cause analysis, or fishbone diagram. The aim is to generate as many ideas as possible, without judging or dismissing them at this stage. You can also seek feedback and input from others who have relevant knowledge, experience, or perspective.
It sometimes helps to put the most likely cause of the issue at the start of the brain storming and then all the other thoughts below. I personally like the question "Have you ever seen something similar to this?" when I'm asking others for their input.
Plut?t que d'utiliser des catégorisations de type analyse SWOT & co, aller chercher le déroulé et analyser les liens de cause à effet est vraiment très profitable pour permettre ensuite de trouver des solutions adaptées. En effet, souvent, nous allons nous contenter de voir le problème a un seul niveau, à l'endroit où il est le plus visible, et, malheureusement, souvent, le plus critique! Une bonne analyse du problème, en profondeur, peut permettre d'agir bien plus t?t dans les cascades d'événements causant se problème. Une action plus précoce est généralement moins co?teuse, plus efficace et provoquera une réaction en cha?ne positive.
Treat is as a chance to accomplish something rather than a pain in the ________. Like most things in life a positive perpective is a good place to start. Clarify, know deadline. Then start from a place of what do I already know...and put your heart into finding out what you don't - like solvling a puzzle. "Do the corners/edges and work your way in." If you don't know much make sure the deadline is realistic. I'd confident one of my biggest skill sets is building my confidence towards any problem buy breaking it down before I get stated. We always know more than we think. The stuff you don't is where you grow.
After you have generated and evaluated various options, you need to choose the best solution for the problem. To choose a solution, you need to consider factors such as: How feasible, effective, and sustainable is the solution? How much time, money, and resources does it require? How does it align with your goals and values? How does it affect other people and situations? You can also use tools such as decision matrix, pros and cons list, or cost-benefit analysis to compare and rank different solutions.
In the technical world, we often hear "how much technical debt will be incur?" There are many tradeoffs made for a quick solution vs one that is viable long term.
Il est très important de se rappeler que dans la plupart des cas, une solution n'est pas définitive. Autant que possible, il faut la considérer comme une solution mise à l'essai. Prenez en compte les co?ts, financiers, en énergie, temps, etc. à court, moyen et long terme, ainsi que les résultats espérés pour chaque solution, avant de choisir celle qui semble la meilleure.
We all want a simple solution, an easy way out, but a good plan needs to take into account that just putting out an immediate "fire" probably won't help in the long run. When I was a VP working with the President of a small business, we realized that we were putting out fires rather than preventing them. We started to journal our daily activities and finally came up with a plan to promote our top people in each department to the status of supervisors. They received a raise and for the most part, they addressed issues without involving us. That put a little stress on those supervisors, but it removed a ton of stress from myself and the President and freed us up to concentrate on client service and planning for future growth of the business.
I use 2 intuitive decision making techniques. 1. Body testing. This is where we step out of the logical mind and use the body intelligence to provide answers Practice with deciding what food is good for you. Stand in neutral allow your body to sway, forwards for yes back for no. You do this naturally leaning towards something you like and away from what you don't. Hold some food product to your face and ask Is this in my highest good? Let your body answer. If this doesn't work initially this is an indicator that you may be stressed and therefore not completely present. When this happens you'll have no resources to make good decisions, and that will cause overwhelm before you even start. 2. Head, heart, gut I will leave for another post
The next step is to put the solution into action and monitor its results. To implement the solution, you need to plan and prepare for the execution, such as: What are the steps and tasks involved? Who is responsible for each task? When and how will the tasks be completed? What are the risks and contingencies? How will the progress and outcomes be measured and reported? You also need to communicate and coordinate with others who are involved or affected by the solution, and ensure that they understand and support it.
La mise en oeuvre de la solution n'est que l'application de l'étape précédente de choix de solution: vous avez déjà repéré tout ce qu'il fallait pour réaliser cette solution. Maintenant, passez à l'action! Autant, le délai de réflexion peut être assez long, autant, en ce qui concerne la mise en action, il vaut mieux agir rapidement afin de ne pas "laisser le soufflé retomber".
When implementing any solution you have to get buy-in of all parties involved. You've already decided why it makes sense (with or without all relevant players), but you still need everyone to say that they're in. If they can't commit, you can't move forward and don't worry that you have to scrap the whole plan, usually it's just a tweak here or there.
Implementation is when we have to become guardians of the project boundaries and have a system to deal with changes. As we know any changes will impact the delivery, meaning re-directing time and effort from moving forward on the project. This can completely wear us out and cause overwhelm. We need to not tie our success to the projects success. This project has other moving parts we cannot control. We need to feel able to stand our ground and be supported, so get that commitment from your team and manager. Have a clear change management process. We need to be flexible, we will probably have to drop something we were doing to do something else. This can feel like we wasted our time. Reframe this into learning new skills if possible.
I'd like to add that most if not all solutions require 'tweaks' along the way. It's so often I see people throw things out completely without taking time to massage the solution. Small change can make all the difference, just because it didn't work 100% right off the bat does not mean it's worthless. I love the comment about who is responsible for what to share the workload. I'd add get the group involved when analyzing results everyone brain will see something different and we feed off each other as problem solvers in the right environment.
The final step is to review and reflect on the solution and its effects. To evaluate the solution, you need to ask yourself and others questions such as: Did the solution solve the problem? Did it meet the goals and expectations? What were the benefits and drawbacks of the solution? What were the challenges and difficulties encountered? What were the lessons learned and best practices discovered? How can the solution be improved or optimized for future problems? You also need to acknowledge and appreciate your efforts and achievements, and celebrate your success.
Toute bonne résolution de problème inclus une boucle de rétro-action: on revient après la mise en place de la solution choisie, évaluer les conséquences, et si besoin, redéfinir le problème.
At the time of implementing the solution, you have to schedule a follow-up date/time to evaluate not only is it working, but are there ANY issues with anything or anyone involved. This meeting should start on a positive note with accolades, don't forget to follow a balanced feedback model, meaning good stuff first and then everything else!
As we did a visualisation at the beginning, then the evaluation can help you learn more about why things seemed aligned and others didn't As now you can use hindsight and retro cognizance to strengthen your visualisation skills and have more confidence that you have everything you need inside you even if you do not always have the words to express it. My sharing are based on project managing data migration projects the worst type of project as it is based on so many unknowns in the data. They caused so much overwhelm I had to use my Spiritual skills to help me through.
Sometimes the best solutions come from the most unexpected resources. Don't be afraid to ask team members outside of the direct issue how they would solve for the problem.
It's important to understand that you may sometimes need to iterate through many possible solutions before finding the one that works. It's ok to not solve it on the first try. Often, we need to observe the outcome and then tweak things accordingly. Be patient with the process and with yourself!
Embracing diversity in problem-solving can lead to more innovative and effective solutions. When a team with varied backgrounds and perspectives contributes, it widens the scope of understanding and approaches to the problem. This collective wisdom can often address issues more rapidly and efficiently, as different viewpoints may shed light on aspects that a uniform group might overlook. Therefore, it's beneficial to foster an inclusive environment where all team members feel valued and empowered to share their unique insights and ideas.