We’re learning about problem solving in my Organizational Behavior class. The two styles our book talks about are analytical and creativity. I like this topic because I myself am not the best problem solver and want to learn how to become better and stronger in my reasoning. I have a tendency to act quickly and instantly execute a solution. I find myself consistently troubleshooting rather than actually problem solving. This is not an approach I want to continue to carry out! If there are any of you out there who find yourselves in a similar situation, hopefully you’ll find the rest of what I talk here about beneficial.
First of all, it’s good to differentiate between the two styles of problem solving. When you’re looking at analytical problem solving, you’re dealing with dissection. There are four steps to go through before you can master this technique: 1) Define the problem; 2) Generate alternative solutions; 3) Evaluate and select an alternative, and 4) Implement and follow up on the solution. Our book, “Developing Management Skills,” goes into quite a lot of detail on the importance of thoroughly working through each step to successfully implement this style. If this style is adopted and carried out accurately, since it’s the style used most often, organizations can significantly improve their decision making processes.
Though analytical problem solving is used more, I’m interested in talking about creative problem solving and how it can help organizations excel instead of just survive. Creative problem solving doesn’t concentrate on getting rid of problems (or putting out fires like most non-profits like to do!) but rather focuses on developing something new. Having worked at and volunteered at non-profits since the age of 13, I’ve observed so many “reactive” responses to problems rather than thoughtful creative solution based approaches. If organizations can embrace the four distinct approaches to creativity, they have a good shot of making headway. Imagination, Improvement, Investment, and Incubation are the four gems to this problem solving approach. With imagination, this type of method emphasizes coming up with revolutionary ideas. Our book describes “outside the box” thinkers to fit this module. With improvement, it’s still about furnishing “new” ideas, but through developing new strategies to improve on old systems instead of coming up with something new altogether. The third approach, investment, is results-oriented and competition driven. This motivates people to flourish through their natural competitiveness and ambitiousness. The last approach, incubation, concentrates on team building, fostering trust, and establishing collaboration.
Unfortunately creativity is inhibited by something called conceptual blocks. There are four specific things that stop creativity but I will only mention the ones that I think of as the most harmful: commitment and complacency, which are basically creativity killers.
First there’s commitment. Basically every problem is seen as some form of a problem from the past and every solution generated is a recycled idea. I once had a boss who used to be a city employee. Her mentality was very procedures focused. She drew all of her decisions and all of her problem solving abilities from her experience at working for the city. Even though we were at a non-profit when we worked together, where the same solutions didn’t always apply, she was so committed to how she operated under the city that she didn’t budge. Needless to say, she was not the best creative problem solver. In order to not let commitment get the best of you, you have to be willing to let go of your loyalty to your pre-existing point of views, and be open to new alternatives.
Complacency to me is probably THE biggest creativity slayer. This is when questions stop being asked and noninquisitiveness sinks in. Creative problem solving requires people to ask questions and look for answers. I know sometimes it’s scary to put yourself out there and ask a question in a room full of sharks, but to apply this style successfully, speaking up and asking will lead to building that creativity. It also stimulates your mind. Kids learn quickly because they’re curious and are regularly motivating their brains. The other part of complacency is the bias against thinking, which sounds ridiculous, but is so prevalent in our society. Our culture values action instead of thinking. We need to “see” that people are doing something. But if you want to produce something of quality and substance, people need to have time to stop and THINK so that they can generate ideas. This is especially critical with drawing solutions, there needs to be time to pause to think. So if you see someone just sitting and not doing anything don’t be so quick to judge that they aren’t “working,” they might just be “thinking” of ways to resolve a problem.
To summarize creative problem-solving and highlight the core of this blog, if you want to have a strong creative problem-solving strategy in your organization, you will get there by embracing the four approaches to creativity mentioned in the beginning of this article, and you will need to eliminate conceptual blocks. Don’t hang on to the past and welcome questioning.
What type of problem solving has worked for you in your experience? And what creativity method would you say describes you best?
By Swetha Gupta, Director of Projects, Fundraising & Strategic Planning, Smile Liberia, Email: sgupta@smileliberia.org , Website: www.smileliberia.org
