Decision Making and Problem Solving Training
To a large degree, the quality of your life is based upon two abilities.
- Your ability to make good decisions.
- Your ability to solve the problems that face you.
If, whenever you need to make a decision, you always make the right decision, then your life would be wonderful.
If you always made the wrong decision, your life would be woeful.
Problem Solving
Whenever you are facing a problem, if you can quickly analyse the problem to discover its causes, and solutions, then your progress would be rapid and continuous. But if you were gaining problems faster than you could solve them, then your progress would be slow. You may even regress.
If you want things to improve the best way is to improve your ability to make good decisions and solve problems.
There are three problem solving methods and four decision making methods you need to know.
1. Problem cause solution analysis
All problems have causes. And all causes suggest possible solutions. You need to master the art of problem cause solution mapping. (Please note that causes of problems are in the past, so this is a retrospective exercise).
2. Problem Implication countermeasure
Most problems have implications: meaning if you have problem 1 that might be the trigger for a future problem 2, 3, and 4. Problems have implications and, therefore, you need to project forward in time, and think about the countermeasures that you could instigate NOW to prevent problem 1 from multiplying itself; like a virus.
3. Creative problem solving
The previous two methods of problem solving are logical analytical step-by-step thinking.
Creative problem solving is less methodical. It is intuitive, a leap of imagination. Eureka moment!
This type of problem solving has many names: creative thinking, thinking outside the box, Blue sky thinking, brainstorming. It is the kind of creative problem solving that can be made to happen if you set the conditions correctly, and if you have the right people in the right mood.
Decision Making
A decision is the act of selecting one option from more than one option. A good decision is the act of selecting the best option from more than one option.
If you can, always select the best option from those available then you will do very well for yourself!
There are fundamentally four kinds of decision you need to master.
1 The 'Yes' or 'No'? Decision
The world if full of yes or no decisions. Should you launch the rocket or not? There often is no half way house middle of the road compromise. YOU cannot 'sort of' launch the rocket. It either goes full on, or not at all. Many decisions are BINARY decision. Yes or no?
Yes/No Widget
Check out our Yes/No widget which can help you make this type of decision.
2 Which One / What Kind?
If you are going to get one, you need to decide, which one / what kind? The "which one /what kind" decision comes-up, practically every day.
- Which one, what kind of computer system should we invest in?
- Which one, what kind of vehicle would be best?
- Which one should we buy?
Which One/What Kind App
We have written a handy which one/what kind app to help you make this type of decision.
3 Prioritisation by Value
You need to decide to prioritise by reference to value. You often need to take a number of items and decide which is most important, which is second, which is third, etc.
For example in daily time management you need to decide, what is the most valuable use of my time right now? What job do I need to do first?
Prioritisation App
To help you prioritise your To Do List, we have developed a great prioritisation app called 'WhatsNext?' You can prioritise your tasks easily, check off the ones you've done, have different lists for business and personal stuff.
3 Prioritisation by Logical Sequence
Not only is prioritisation putting things into value order, it can also mean putting things into their logical sequence. Most things have a "proper sequence". If you do all right things, but you are doing them in the wrong order, then you may be making a colossal mistake. So you need to have two ways of thinking about making priority decisions,
- Prioritising by value.
- Prioritising by logical sequence.
These two forms of prioritisation have distinct modes of thinking. Each one has their own method. And each one needs to be known, understood, mastered and utilised.
Summary
When you are faced with a situation, you need to classify what kind of situation you are facing, then use the mode of thinking that is appropriate to that class of problem.
The seven classes of thinking are:
- Problem cause solution.
- Problem implication solution.
- Creative problem solving.
- Yes / No decisions.
- Which one / what kind decision.
- Periodization by value.
- Prioritisation by logical sequence.
If you would like some training on these modes of problems solving and decision making, please call me on 01452 856091.
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Problem–Cause–Solution Analysis
Problem–Cause–Solution Analysis is a business process that fixes issues by stating the problem, tracing its root causes, linking each cause to a practical cure, and acting on the best cure so the issue ends and does not return. It relies on facts, not guesses, and works best when done soon after the fault shows.
CG4D Definition
Context: Business
Genus: Process
- Begins with a clear, present-tense statement of the problem
- Tracks back through evidence to find every root cause
- Pairs each cause with at least one realistic solution
- Selects, applies and reviews the best solution to remove the issue for good
Article Summary
Better choices and faster fixes flow from clear thinking: learn seven simple methods that map causes, spot risks, spark ideas and guide you to the best action every time.