Problem solving skills to get a job

UsingProblemSolvingSkillsToGetAJob ChangingYourMindsetandThinkingDifferently UnemployedProfessionalGroupPortland MaineSeptember15 2009 Purpose Provideanoverviewofanumberofmethodsforsolvingproblems Createanunderstandingonhowtousethesemethodsduringthejobhuntingprocess whenyouarebacktowork andforpersonalgrowth Getyoutothinkaboutthinkingdifferently Agenda ThoughtProcessesCriticalversusCreativeThinkingSystemandStatisticalThinkingProblemSolvingThinkingDifferentlyIntuitionTheHumanConnection OpenYourMindToNewIdeas Intellectualssolveproblems geniusespreventthem AlbertEinstein Idon twanttomakethewrongmistake YogiBerra PortraitsofAProblemSolver Overview Likeitornot wearejudgedbyhowwethink Inschool testsgenerallygivecreditforproblem solvingwhichproducesthe right answer butunder estimatescreativityandunconventionalapproachestoproblems Action Data Vision Analysis Questions Problem Critical Convergent VersusCreative Divergent Thinking CriticalThinking Structured systematicprocessesareusedtofocusapersonsthinkingskillsinaparticularsituation problem decisionoropportunity Employsnotonlylogic butbroadintellectualcriteriasuchasclarity credibility accuracy precision relevance depth breadth significance Thinkingisoftencasualorroutine whereascriticalthinkingdeliberatelyevaluatesthequalityofthinking Highlyanalyticalandcritical ConvergentThinking Followsaparticularsetoflogicalstepstoarriveatone correct solution Involvescombiningorjoiningdifferentideastogetherbasedonelementstheseideashaveincommon Puttingthedifferentpiecesofatopicbacktogetherinsomeorganized structuredandunderstandablefashion Convergentthinking then isanessentialpartoftheoutliningandorganizingprocess DoesnotconnoteCriticism Creative Divergent Thinking Thoughtprocessormethodusedtogeneratecreativeideasbyexploringmanypossiblesolutions Involvesbreakingatopicdownintoitsvariouscomponentpartsinordertogaininsightaboutthevariousaspectsofthetopic Typicallyoccursinaspontaneous free flowingmanner suchthatmanyideasaregeneratedinarandom unorganizedfashion Manypossiblesolutionsareexploredinashortamountoftime andunexpectedconnectionsaredrawn Followingdivergentthinking ideasandinformationareorganizedandstructuredusingconvergentthinking SomethingToThinkAbout BeingACreativePerson PsychologistshavefoundthatahighIQalonedoesnotguaranteecreativity Instead personalitytraitsthatpromotedivergentthinkingaremoreimportant Divergentthinkingisfoundamongpeoplewithpersonalities whichhavetraitssuchasnonconformity curiosity willingnesstotakerisks andpersistence CreativeThinkingTools CreatinglistsofquestionsSettingasidetimeforthinkingandmeditationBrainstormingKeepingajournalCreatingartworkFreewriting Infreewriting apersonwillfocusononeparticulartopicandwritenon stopaboutitforashortperiodoftime inastreamofconsciousnessfashion QuickTipstoThinkingCreatively LittleDetailsMatter Payattentiontowordslike may can and will Neveracceptanythingatfacevalue QuestiontheAuthorities Askprobingquestions Whatqualifiestheindividualtogiveadvice Whatcredentialsdoesthepersonhavetomakeclaims Whyisheorsheanauthorityonthesubject SweepingAwayStatements Knockdownsentencesthatusewordslike all and everyone Notallpeopledo andnoteveryoneknows Morecarefulwordingsuchas most and some passmustermoreeasily QuickTipstoThinkingCreatively WatchOutForFallacies Fallaciesarethetrickysmokeandmirrorsthatdivertattentionfromtruecriticalthinking allbuilttodeflect detract divertanddiscreditargumentswithoutreallydoingso LetDownYourGuard Eliminatebias Yourvalues emotions desiresandexperiencesinfluenceyourbeliefsandyourabilitytohaveanopenmind Setthemasideandtakethetimetoponderinformationyoureceivewholeheartedly Thinkofcreativityasamuscle Themoreyouuseit thestrongeritgets Toincreaseyourcreativity yousimplyneedto act likeacreativeperson Notsurprisingly peoplerecognizedascreativetendtosharecommontraits System StatisticalThinking SystemThinking Mindsetforunderstandinghowthingswork Allworkoccursinasystemofinterconnectedprocesses Systemsthinkingprovidesadisciplineandtoolstoencouragetheseeingof interrelationshipsratherthanthings forseeingpatternsofchangeratherthanstatic snapshots WhenToUseSystemsThinking Systemsthinkingisanapproachthatrequiresasubstantialinvestmentofeffort Thefollowingaresomeofthesignsthatindicateasystemsthinkingapproachismostlikelywarranted Therearemultipleperspectivesonjustwhatthesituationis andhowtodealwithit Apreviouslyappliedfixseemstoovershootthegoal Apreviouslyappliedfixhascreatedproblemselsewhere Overtimethereisatendencytosettleforless Afterafixisappliedtheproblemreturnsintime WhenToUseSystemsThinking continued Thesamefixisusedrepeatedly Thereisatendencytoallowanestablishedstandardtoslip Partnersforgrowthbecomeadversaries Limitationsexperiencedarebelievedtoresultfrominsufficientcapacity Limitedresourcesaresharedbyothers Growthleadstodeclineelsewhere SystemThinkingandtheButterflyEffect Smallvariationsoftheinitialconditionofadynamicalsystemmayproducelargevariationsinthelongtermbehaviorofthesystem TheButterflyEffect Referstotheideathatabutterfly swingsmightcreatetinychangesintheatmospherethatmayultimatelyalterthepathofatornadoordelay accelerateorevenpreventtheoccurrenceofatornadoinacertainlocation Theflappingwingrepresentsasmallchangeintheinitialconditionofthesystem whichcausesachainofeventsleadingtolarge scalealterationsofevents orinasciencefictionstorywhereatimetravelercreatesasmallchangethataltersthecourseofthefuture StatisticalThinking StatisticalThinking Statisticalthinkingprovidesthemeanstoviewprocessesholistically ThingstounderstandVariationexistsinallprocesses Understandingandreducingvariationarethekeystosuccess Typesofvariation CommonCause Occursnaturally partoftheprocessandrandom noiseinthesystem SpecialCause Unexpected butassignabletoknownfactors Methodologies TotalQualityManagement 6Sigma LeanManufacturing ControlCharting ImprovementMethods StatisticalProcessControl SPC GoalisContinuousImprovementDefinetheprocesscapabilityExamsthevariabilityinprocesscharacteristics Istheprocesscapableofproducingproductswhichconformstospecifications Plan Do CheckAct PDCA EstablishObjectivesImplementNewProcessesMeasuretheResultsandCompareagainstexpectationsAnalyzeDifferencestoDetermineCause Determinewheretoapplychangesthatwillincludeimprovement ImprovementMethods Continued 7StepProcess1 DefineandIdentifytheProblem2 AnalyzetheProblem3 IdentifyingPossibleSolutions4 SelectingtheBestSolutions5 EvaluatingSolutions6 DevelopanActionPlan7 ImplementtheSolutionDMAICDefinetheprojectgoalsanddeliverablesforbothinternalandexternalcustomersMeasuretheprocesstodeterminecurrentperformanceAnalyzeanddeterminetherootcause s ofthedefectsImprovetheprocessbyeliminatingdefectsControlfutureprocessperformance ProblemSolving ProblemSolving Theproblem solvingprocesscomprisesmanydifferentelementsthatcanbeusedinvaryingdegreesdependingontheproblem opportunitytobesolved Typicalelementsare Problemdefinition partofunderstandingtheproblem Situationanalysis partofunderstandingtheproblem IdeagenerationAnalysisofideasDecisionmakingDeterminingthenextstepstobetakentointroducethesolution ProblemSolvingTools Kepner Tregoe KT Analysis SituationAppraisalProcessofensuringthatpriorityandorderareestablishedformultipleconcernsassociatedwithaspecificissue Example You reoutofworkorunderemployed ProblemAnalysisCreateProblemDescriptionIdentifyPossibleCausesDetermineTrueCauseExample Youcan tgetajobsimilartowhatyoudidorwanttodo DecisionAnalysisCreateObjectivesDevelopAlternativesUncoverAdverseConsequencesExample Whatisthebestalternativeforgettingajobthatwillfityourneeds PotentialProblemAnalysisEvaluateWhatCouldGoWrongandtheLikelyCausesWouldBe DevelopPrevention ContingencyPlansExample Determinekeyrisksassociatedwiththealternative Kepner TregoeDecisionAnalysis StateDecisionWhat sthePurpose ClassifyObjectivesDefineMustsMandatoryMeasurableRealisticDefineWantsWeightScoreEvaluateAlternativesAssessAdverseConsequencesProbability Low Medium High Seriousness Low Medium High Kepner TregoeProblemAnalysis StateDeviationWhat sthePurpose SpecifytheProblemWhatWhereWhenExtentIs IsNotDistinctionsIscomparedtoisnotChangesDevelopPossibleCausesTestforProbableCauseDoesnotexplainExplainsundercertainconditionsDetermineMostProbableCauseVerifyTrueCause Kepner TregoePotentialProblemAnalysis StateActionorPlanListstepsListAnticipatedPotentialProblemsProbability Low Medium High Seriousness Low Medium High ListAnticipatedLikelyCausesforEachPotentialProblemSelectPreventiveActionsToReducePreventativeActionsSelectContingentActionstoMinimizeEffectsIdentifyTriggersForContingentAction ModifyPlanDefineStepsDefineResponsibilitiesTimingCreateMilepostsAssignResources ThinkingDifferently Thinkdifferentlyleadstonewideasandinnovation culturalchanges upsetsthestatusquo takescourage changesmindset createspersonalchangeandoneactingdifferently ThinkingDifferently LateralThinking Thinkingdifferentlyishardwork youmustchangepreconceivedideasespeciallywhenyouhavebeensuccessfulusingyourfavoritemethods Coursesinlateralthinkingtrytoteachyouhowtoidentifyandsetasidetheobstaclesinyourownhead biasesandpreconceptions inabilitytoconcentrateorimagine entrenchedwaysofthinking fear conservatism ignorance thatpreventyoufromthinkingintrulynovelways Practiceandexerciseisneededtoreinforcelearning 12TechniquesforThinkingDifferently FromDavePollard sbusinessinnovation knowledgemanagementphilosophy howtosavetheworld Beforeyouconsiderthem youmightwanttoaskyourselfwhetheryouneedthem Theyareunlikelytomakeyouhappier thoughtheywillprobablymakeyoumorecreative andmoreunderstanding Meditation Aidswithrelaxation centering andclarity ReconnectWithYourSenses Mostofwhatyoulearnisperceptualratherthanconceptual andyoucanlearnanastonishingamountbyjustbecomingmoreawareofnature andofyourself andoftheconnectionbetweenyoursensesandthesensesofalllifeonEarth ReconnectWithYourIntuition Wearetaughttodistrustit Theperspectiveyoucangetwhenyourintuitionprovidesoneviewpointonasituationandyour booklearning anotherisremarkable It slikesuddenlyseeingstereowhenallyourlifeyou veonlyseenwithoneeye Instantdepthperception 12TechniquesforThinkingDifferently AnalogiesandMetaphors Analogiesandmetaphorsallowyouto re see somethingabstractassomethingconcrete somethingconceptualasperceptual analogiesandmetaphorspermitustothinkthingsweprobablyotherwisecouldn t ConversationsandInterviews Awonderfulenablerforthinkingdifferentlyisthesharedcontextthatcomesfromconversationsandinterviews Severalofmymostpopulararticleshavebeenconversationswithmyselforwithotherpeople becausetheyhelppeopleunderstandmythoughtprocessmuchbetterthananalyticaldiscourse Likeeverythingnatural theyareinefficientbutextremelyeffective Interviewsworkthesameway Face to faceandrecordedconversationsandinterviews iftheyarenaturalandprobingandimprovisational areevenbetter becauseyoulearnmoreoftheparticipants worldviewfromthevocalnuancesandbodylanguage 12TechniquesforThinkingDifferently Synthesis DistillationandRestatement Whenyourecapitulateandcondensewhatyou vereadorheard youforceyourselftouseyourownwordstosaywhattheyhadtosay Youcanlearnasmuchfromthisabouttheirwayofthinking andyourown asyoucanfromthereadingorlisteningexperienceitself Readingdiverseandalternativeworks internetbiasthingLearningaNewLanguage Thevocabulary thesyntax thewayinwhichitisordered thenuancesofmeaning allpushyoutonewwaysofthinkingReadingdiverseandalternativeworks InternetbiasthingPsychoactiveandOtherDrugs Theyworkforsomepeople andhaveforthousandsofyears Nope don thaveanyonme 12TechniquesforThinkingDifferently LearningSomethingOutsideYourComfortZone DoImpulsiveandSerendipitousThings Anyactivitythatwon tletyouplanoranticipate butwhichinsteadforcesyoutoperceiveandlearnquicklyandpayattentionandreactandliveinthemoment willgetyououtsidethecentreofyourownuniverseandhelpyouseeandthinkdifferently Collaboration Notjustcoordinationorcooperation truecollaboration Whenyouhaveproducedatrulycollectivework product youhaveinmanywaysgotinsidetheheadsofyourfellowcollaborators andthatwillchangeyouforever TheEternalQuestion ControlChart So WhatistheAnswer UsingTriggersToThinkDifferently Triggerstohelpwithchange OnWakingup Decidewhatpositivechangeyouwantinyourlife Createthetrigger Pickaspecific every dayroutinechore Doitdifferently butthesamewayeveryday thiswillbethetrigger Examples Shavetheothersideofyourfacefirst putbreadinthetoasterupsidedown putontheothershoe first Duringtheday Becomemoreawareofyourselfandsurroundings Whenyounoticesomething unusual remindyourselfofyourmorningthought Takethetimetowriteitout15timesaday Intuition Intuition Experienceandexpertisearenotthesame intuitioncomesfromdatacluespromptinginvestigation Intuitionisthevoiceofexperienceusingiteffectivelyisexpertise Twotypeofresponsesfromdataclues itfitsapatternsandmakessenseoritdoesn tIntuitionisnotaccidental butreflectsexperience IntuitiveAbility Theintuitivemindisasacredgiftandtherationalmindisafaithfulservant Wehavecreatedasocietythathonorstheservantandhasforgottenthegift AlbertEinsteinWhenanalyticalandintuitiveabilitiesarecombined theresultis holistic ThinkingIntuitivelyVersusAnalytically AnalyticalThinking Ispowerful Itisfocused sharp linear dealswithonethingatatime containstime isdeconstructive containsnoperspective issubjecttodisorientation isbraincentered andtendstotheabstract Analyticalthinkingisefficientinthefollowingconditions sufficienttime relativelystaticconditions acleardifferentiationbetweentheobserverandtheobserved Itisbestsuitedfordealingwithcomplexities andworksbestwherethereareestablishedcriteriafortheanalysis forexample rulesoflaw Itisnecessarywhenanexplanationisrequired seeksthebestoption andcanbetaughtintheclassroomtobeginners IntuitiveThinking Intuitivethinkinghascontrastingqualities itisunfocused nonlinear contains notime seesmanythingsatonce viewsthebigpicture containsperspective isheartcentered orientedinspaceandtime andtendstotherealorconcrete Intuitioncomesintoitsownwhereanalyticalthinkingisinadequate undertimepressure whereconditionsaredynamic wherethedifferentiationbetweenobserverandobservedisunclear Itworksbestwheretheobserverhasexperienceintheparticularsituation isdifficulttoteachintheclassroom eschewsseekingthe best optioninfavorofthe workable andispreparedtoactonfeelingsorhuncheswhereexplanationsareeithernotrequiredorthereisnotimeforthem Intuitionisexperiencetranslatedbyexpertisetoproducerapidaction OODALoop Decision makingoccursinarecurringcycleofobserve orient decide act Anentity whetheranindividualoranorganization thatcanprocessthiscyclequickly observingandreactingtounfoldingeventsmorerapidlythanan