Problem Solving

Problem solving is the process of determining the problem, developing possible ways to find a solution, making a plan to implement the solution and finally taking the appropriate course of action.

Steps to Solve a Problem:

When trying to solve a problem, we often focus on the following steps:

1.  Identifying the problem

2.  Generating options

3.  Choosing an alternative

4.  Implementing the alternative

5.  Evaluating and Monitoring

The above steps can be used to solve problems individually as well as collectively.

Identifying the Problem: Sometimes identifying the problem is not a simple task. A problematic situation can be multi-layered. It requires careful analysis of what the real problem is, what the sources of the problem are and what exactly needs to be solved. This ensures that we are not wasting unnecessary energy and are not being side-tracked from the actual problem. When we identify the problem, we are clear about what exactly needs to be ‘fixed’.

Generating Options: Often, there is no single way to solve a problem. Once you know what you need to ‘fix’, think of all the different ideas that could work to solve the problem. There might be many options that you can take in order to come up with a solution. It is important to have a clear, focussed mind when thinking of all the possible alternatives, so that you do not overlook anything. 

Choosing an Alternative: Once all the ideas have been generated and all the possible alternatives have been listed, it is time to think of which alternative to use. Think of all the details involved in each of the options to make your choice. It might be hard to make a selection, as different options might have different merits. At this stage, it is important to analyze and understand what your priorities are. It is worthwhile to spend time only on the option that suits your situation and fits your criteria the most. 

Implementing the Alternative: Get into action. Think of how you are going to apply the alternative you chose from all the ideas above. Outline the steps involved in executing the plan. Allocate resources. Decide on timelines. Then execute the plan. Make sure that you handle all angles of the plan tactfully and sensitively. 

Evaluate and Monitor: Keep monitoring your plan. Take note of what is working well and what is not. Do not follow the plan blindly. Analyze whether the problem is actually on the track of being solved or not. Sometimes some aspects of the plan become redundant or ineffective. Re-adjust the plan if necessary. 

Problem Solving Skills:

Many skills contribute to our problem-solving abilities:

1.  Verbal and Non-verbal communication

2.  Effective Listening skills

3.  Research ability

4.  Creativity and Innovation

5.  Resourcefulness

6.  Decision-making

7.  Critical Thinking

8.  Collaboration

9.  Flexibility

1. Verbal and Non-verbal communication: Communication is often an essential skill in identifying a problem, gathering information, working on solutions and conveying results as appropriate. You also have to be careful in choosing the correct type of communication channel at different stages of problem solving. 

2. Effective listening skills: Listening is a process that involves many steps other than hearing. Active listening is mindful, requires you to pay attention, understand the context and consider multiple perspectives. Effective problem solvers use their listening ability to get a deeper sense of understanding about the problem and also consider others’ viewpoints in reaching a solution.

3. Research ability: Gathering information, exploring options, figuring out what alternatives have worked for others in similar situations—these are all immensely useful research skills used in problem solving. Researchers keep an open mind and constantly inquire about different aspects of the problem in different ways. Depending upon the type of the problem, a strong working knowledge of research tools and resources might also come in handy.

4. Creativity and Innovation: Problem solving requires one to be able to think out of the box. Sometimes what has worked for one might not work for the other. For creative solutions to your problems, you require more than just knowledge and thinking. Creativity is characterized by novelty, that is, something that has not been tried before. Sometimes it requires courage and a risk-taking capacity. When the creative approach gets established as a solution, then it becomes an innovation.

5. Resourcefulness: Problem solving requires an ability to identify the resources that can be used to solve the problem—both human and material resources—and also the ability to find ways to access those resources. Sometimes, the utilization of resources requires many of the other skills, like creativity and effective communication.

6. Decision-making: An important quality of many leaders and successful people is the ability to make decisions. This ability helps you to solve problems quickly and efficiently. When making decisions, a balance has to be struck between emotions and logic. You have to be mindful of the long-term consequences of the choices and decisions you are making.

7. Critical thinking: Problem solving and critical thinking go hand in hand. One is not possible without the other. Critical thinking skills include the ability to analyze, interpret, recognize patterns and question evidence before arriving at conclusions. It also requires you to keep an open mind, think of multiple perspectives and be able to select useful details to use and discard the non-useful ones.

8. Collaboration: When trying to solve a problem in which others are involved, it is important to respectfully present an understanding of the issue or your proposed ideas to solve the issue. Collaboration requires close attention to the way we are communicating with others—whether through our verbal language or through our body language. Even if we disagree with a viewpoint, we have to know how to communicate the disagreement in reasonable, tactful and respectful ways.  

9. Flexibility: Problem solving requires you to be flexible in making changes to the plan if the need arises. Many people find it really hard to be flexible in their problem-solving approach or in trying a new way to solve a problem. If you are rigid and unwilling to change, you might not arrive at the best solution to the problem.

Tips for Effective Problem Solving:

1. Focus. Do not get distracted by the less important details of the situation. Pay full attention to what the actual problem is, so that you can focus on the making an effective plan to solve the problem.

2. Be relaxed. When we are stressed, our ability to think rationally and make good decisions is reduced. Keep your mind relaxed throughout the problem solving process. Some ways people do this is by staying hydrated, taking wellness breaks, getting a good night’s sleep, listening to music, taking a walk etc.

3. Visualize. Create visuals of the problem and its possible solutions. Many people create mind-maps that help to identify the central idea and all the possible paths that branch out from it. 

4. Stay emotionally detached. When the problem constantly affects your emotions, you might find it hard to think clearly or reasonably. Create an emotional distance between yourself and the problem, so that you can think logically and rationally. Stick to the problem and the process, without involving feelings in it.

5. Be persistent. Be willing to try over and over again. Problems can sometimes be complex and cannot be solved quickly or in the first attempt. Try with a different approach if need be.

6. Accept differences. It is not certain that one person’s way will definitely be the right way to solve the problem. Be open and flexible to accepting multiple points of view and accept different approaches. Treat them as a learning experience.

7. Avoid generalizing. While some general rules might be helpful in the problem solving process, it might not be wise to generalize the problem in order to decide a solution. Follow a process and be patient to see what it reveals. 

8. Have open-ended discussions. Talking about the problem with relevant people in a friendly, sensitive manner helps you brainstorm solutions, explore new options that you might not have considered before, to ask questions and to broaden your thinking.

9. Stay unbiased. Sometimes your biases might prevent you from solving problems effectively. You might think a certain way about a certain solution or approach, which might influence your choice of solutions. You might have assumptions about certain people involved in the problem or in the problem-solving process, which might prevent you from making the most appropriate plan. 

10. Engage in continuous reflection. Do not just keep running ahead with your plan. Keep working at it, but also keep looking back to see what you have done so far in the problem solving process and how it is working. Learn from what has worked and what has not worked. Make a mental note of the failures and successes.

A common type of problem that most people encounter in one way or the other is conflict. 

Conflict is the struggle that arises when the views, interests or goals of an individual or group of individuals are incompatible with another individual or group of individuals. Conflicts involve tensions and disagreements. When people compete instead of cooperating, it leads to conflict.

Conflicts are essentially problems of communication. They affect our relationships with people in different scenarios—at home, in the workplace, with peers, within the larger system.

The main triggers for conflict include:

1. Lack of understanding: 

When we fail to understand the other person’s meaning or just miss an important detail in the communication, we can have a conflict. Although it arises as a simple misunderstanding, if the misunderstanding is not cleared up, then the conflict could escalate or become more complicated.

2. Differences in ideas, perceptions or vision:

When one party wants one thing and the other party wants a completely different thing, a conflict can arise. This ‘thing’ could be a tangible material thing, an action, a belief or a goal. Sometimes, this conflict turns from the ‘thing’ into something bigger, if the parties do not stick to the topic of disagreement.

3. Personal attack:

When people attack each other openly and start to blame each other while upholding their own ego, a conflict situation can escalate very quickly.  In this type of conflict, people bring up many sensitive issues. A lot of hurt is caused. Often, the original topic of the conflict is lost as the battle becomes personal.

Principles of Conflict:

1.  Conflict is normal. The presence of conflict does not mean that there is a problem. It only means that the lines of communication are open and that the individuals are involved with each other. Conflict only indicates that there are differences between individuals that need to be resolved. All relationships have conflict at some stage or in some way.

2. Conflict can be managed. Conflicts do not mean the end of relationships. Conflicts can be managed and resolved. There are many different methods of conflict management. When effective methods are chosen, and are effectively applied, conflicts can be completely resolved.

3. Conflict can be visible or subtle. Loud arguments are not the only type of conflict. Many times conflict is expressed through passive aggression, which means to cause another person to suffer without letting them know that you are doing so intentionally. Sometimes conflict is expressed not by using words but through actions in which we show that the disagreement exists.

4. Conflict could be positive. Sometimes conflict opens our mind to new perspectives, new ways of thinking and helps us learn something that we did not know before. If resolved effectively, conflict can sometimes help to resolve not just the topic at hand, but also many other issues that could potentially cause conflict in the future. This could actually enhance relationships.

5. Conflict management determines conflict resolution. Conflict management is the process of arriving at positive conclusions at the end of a conflict. This process often involves the use of communication skills and other problem solving skills. The way we use these skills will determine if we are able to resolve the conflict or not. 

Components of Conflict Management 

1. Managing Emotions

a.  Address the problem, not the person: Keep your personal emotions, grievances and feelings out of the conflict. Treat the situation as a problem to be solved, not a person to be judged or attacked.

b.  Select a suitable time and place: Conflict is often accompanied by emotions. When discussing a conflict, try to choose a time when you are likely to be relaxed and free of physical and mental stress. If you are angry, give yourself time to cool off before you can approach the conflict.

c.  Monitor non-verbal messages: Stay calm. Keep a low voice. You are not likely to get a good response when you raise your voice. Maintain neutral facial expressions. Match your non-verbal response with your words.

d.  Own your feelings: Use “I” language instead of “You” language. Instead of blaming or using a judgmental language, just be specific about how you are feeling.

e.  Avoid exaggerated emotions: Do not dramatize your emotions. Try to use facts to describe how you are feeling (for instance, “I am irritated. I cannot make sense of this situation!”) instead of using exaggerated words and long judgments (for example, “I am furious! This is horrible. I think this is as bad as it gets. There’s nothing that can be done any more”).

2. Managing content

a.  Identify the problem-causing factor: Sometimes conflicts can become very complicated with lots of verbal exchanges. Amidst everything, the root cause of the conflict is sometimes forgotten. Work together to identify the cause and then hold on to it, instead of losing it in continued interactions.

b.  Pay attention: Listen carefully to what the speaker is saying. Do not cloud your mind with presumptions. Try not to leave any room for misunderstanding, or missing any key points.

c.  State your points clearly: Be clear in what you want to say. Do not beat about the bush when discussing a conflict. It will help in the identification of the problem so that a solution can be reached.

3. Managing the resolution process

a.  Work together to analyze the problem: Have a common understanding of what the conflict entails, what the underlying cause is and what is the problem that needs to be solved. Sometimes during this analysis, you might find that the conflict was simply a misunderstanding.

b.  Decide the intended outcomes: Decide what the outcome of the discussion should be. Think about: what are your mutual goals, what are your individual goals and what are the other party’s individual goals.

c.  Generate alternatives: Work together to come up with a list of all the possible choices that can be used to address the problem. Be open-minded and flexible. Both parties’ voices should be heard and included in generating possible solutions.

d.  Agree upon a solution: Out of the all the choices generated above, select a particular alternative with mutual consensus. One party might seem like they are compromising, but revisit the common goals and the highest priority for everyone involved. This helps to reorient everyone on to the right track.

e.  Apply the chosen solution: The conflict will not be resolved until action is taken to resolve it. Be sincere in executing the solution you chose and implementing the plan you made. 

f.  Monitor: From time to time, see if the chosen plan is working. Discuss with other parties if necessary. Be willing to make adjustments if needed.

Tips for Effective Conflict Management:

What NOT to do during a conflict:

1.  Do not raise your voice. It will only create more heat in the argument instead of going towards a resolution.

2.  Do not make assumptions. Sometimes we perceive that the other person is meaning something while he or she is saying something else. You can’t see the other person’s intentions. Only address the facts and the words that you hear, not the words you perceive.

3.  Do not make sarcastic remarks. When you make contemptuous or sarcastic comments, you are intending to hurt the other person’s feelings. This increases the tension.

4.  Do not attack. Argument involves discussion, but it does not mean you have to start a verbal attack. This makes the situation personal. It escalates the conflict as people begin to feel insulted, and start focussing on the feelings instead of the problem.

5.  Do not threaten. Conflicts cannot be resolved by issuing ultimatums or threats. Threats indicate power and dominance. This does not provide a healthy platform for conflict management.

6.  Do not become adamant. If you simply keep demanding what you want in the conflict, it will not give the other person a chance to voice their concern. Even if the other person gives in to your demand, the conflict will still not be resolved. 

7.  Do not go out of context. Continue the discussion in the context of the problem. Do not drag multiple examples and issues from the past or from distant situation that take you away from the current context. 

8.  Do not gossip. Do not complain about your situation with other people instead of the person who you should be directing the communication to. This spreads rumours, degrades the individual you are talking about and creates negative energy.

What to do during a conflict:

1.  Focus on the problem. Even if the conflict creates an uncomfortable emotional situation, avoid focusing on the emotions, and instead focus on the problem.

2.  Talk when emotionally ready. Do not stomp angrily into someone’s room or office to have an argument. Let the emotions cool down, and make sure you give yourself time to be calm and composed before you start a discussion.

3.  Listen actively. It is very important to listen carefully, sincerely and actively in order to comprehend the meaning of what is being communicated and to ensure that you do not miss any important information.

4.  Assume positive intentions. If a person has not communicated his or her negative intentions to you clearly and explicitly, assume that they mean well. It is easier to focus on what is being said, instead of what you think is being said.

5.  Act like an adult. Sometimes conflict situations make us emotional and upset and we resort to childish behaviours. Control your temper. Reason like an adult. 

6.  Think of everyone’s benefit. When dealing with a conflict situation, consider dual perspectives. Think about what you want from the resolution, but also think about what the other person might want. You might be able to strike an effective balance that works for both parties. When you pay attention to everyone involved, it strengthens the relationship.

7.  Compromise graciously if necessary. If you realize that a compromise would be the best way to go for the safekeeping of the relationship, do so graciously. Do not let ego drive you to think that you have lost. 

8.  Think before you speak. We might want to rush to speak and share our thoughts in a conflict situation, but it is best to give yourself a brief pause to compose your thoughts. Under stress, we sometimes hold our breath. Take a breath. This will give you time to think and relax your mind.