The New Normal & How To Maximise Your Problem Solving Effectiveness
Right now it's hard to know what to write, but as a professional working in the field of complex problem solving now is hardly the time to be silent. We are facing a once in a generation challenge. Problems don’t get much bigger than the Coronavirus. And once we overcome the immediate impact of Covid-19, we will then be faced with the secondary impacts and beyond.
These will be hugely complex, challenging and disruptive problems. Those of us that have lived through previous seismic shifts know that how we understand and respond to these issues and opportunities will define our organisations and our society in the months and years to come.
Perhaps you have already started to assemble your best and your brightest to make sense of this 'new normal'? And you will want to ensure that they can tackle these challenges effectively, efficiently and safely. When you do, stay true to the 4Ts of problem solving. There is no silver bullet when it comes to problem solving and decision making but focussing on these will help guide you.
The 4Ts of Problem Solving
Put the right TEAM together
There won’t be many second chances. So get this right. You’ll have decades, even centuries of combined experience to draw on. Use it wisely. Solving complex problems is a team game. Choose great people with diverse expertise and equally diverse outlooks to maximise your ability to make the right decisions the first time. Use the best available remote working tools, especially now that in-situ assembly is limited.
Give them TIME to work
If ever teams needed time to get to the best solutions, it’s now. You should allocate whatever time and support that is available. Nothing is more time consuming than implementing the wrong solutions. Effective solutions require accurate analysis, accept that you cannot rush this. This is hard to achieve under pressure but do what you can.
Embed a shared TECHNIQUE
Have a robust structure to address your challenges and stick to it. Make sure that the method, process and objectives are understood and adopted by everyone. A good problem-solving methodology supports leadership, reduces conflict and anxiety, maximises output and boosts communication. Do not under-estimate this. Great people pulling in different directions, even if the goals are shared, is hugely damaging to problem solving.
TRUST them. Fully
Once you have implemented this, ensure your teams know their responsibility and take complete ownership of the process. Make it clear that you will support them fully. Communicate clearly that you trust them (and expect them) to deliver results and that doing this to the highest standards is essential. Trust is a two-way contract in all successful problem solving.
Let these 4Ts guide you as you start to address the complex challenges ahead. They will serve you well.
And while you’re still here, if this has been a useful read, why not download our eBook ‘Better Than Yesterday’ It takes a close look at the 10 primary ways that great organisations tackle their most challenging problems.