A bumper book of powerful problem-solving tools and techniques presented clearly and concisely by a highly respected author.
Practitioners across the range of human services and managers in all sectors are constantly faced with problems of various kinds. Each of these is unique, however there will be general patterns that we can learn from. This book draws upon the author's extensive experience in teaching and training on problem-solving, providing students, practitioners and managers with a powerful repertoire of tools that can make a real difference in a wide range of situations.
This easy-to-read text incorporates new challenges in the modern workplace such as;
- Artificial Intelligence,
- increased job insecurity,
- neurodivergence in relation to problem-solving, and
- safeguarding our habitat.
Packed with critical exercises and opportunities for reflection, Effective Problem Solving encourages readers to analyse difficult situations and provides guidance on how to respond to these challenges head-on, making a real impact. This book is a handy guide that will increase readers' skills and confidence.
A bumper book of powerful problem-solving tools and techniques presented clearly and concisely by a highly respected author.
About the author Acknowledgements Preface Foreword Introduction: who,
why, what and how Why a manual? How do I use it? PART 1: Understanding people
and their problems
1. Introduction
2. What is a problem?
3. What is a
people problem?
4. Why is the context important?
5. How do we start?
6. How
do we get people motivated?
7. How do we find the right way forward?
8. How
do we promote change?
9. Why do we need PRECISE practice?
10. What are the
challenges involved?
11. Is there a problem-solving process?
12. Is a problem
always an opportunity?
13. What is the role of reflective practice?
14. How
do we make things happen?
15. Conclusion PART 2: Problem-solving methods
Introduction Important notes A Active listening
16. Show that you are paying attention
17. Avoiding attribution errors
18.
Avoiding oversimplifying the reasons for peoples behaviour
19. Avoiding
avoidance
20. Facing up to our responsibilities
B Brainstorming
21. Maximising our range of options
22. Brokerage
23. Redirecting people to
sources of help
C Capitalizing on crisis
24. Realizing the potential of critical moments in a persons life
25. The
CBC approach - Putting people at their ease
26. Challenging cognitive
distortions - Trying to get a balanced view of the situation
27. Chunk up or
chunk down - Finding the right level of analysis
28. The CIA framework -
Managing pressure and stress
29. Circular questioning - Establishing the
importance of interrelationships
30. Confronting without being
confrontational - Using assertiveness skills
31. Congruence -Getting on the
same wavelength
32. Consequences - Exploring options and their likely
outcomes
33. Cost-benefit analysis - Balancing the pros and cons
34. Creative
tension - Making sure expectations are realistic
35. Critical incident
technique - Learning from significant experiences
36. Culture audit -Making
sense of organizational cultures
D Dealing with objections
37. Persuading people to move forward
38. Developing a checklist Save time
and efforts with checklists
39. Doing the right things versus doing things
right Balancing efficiency and effectiveness
40. The drama triangle Avoiding
being drawn into being a rescuer
E Eating an elephant
41. Being realistic about what we can achieve
42. Eco maps - Mapping out
relationships across groups of people
43. Educating - Problem solving through
helping people learn
44. Elegant challenging - Being constructive in
challenging unacceptable behaviour or language
45. Embedded whys -
Establishing reasons for our actions
46. The empty chair - Exploring the
influence of an absent person
47. Encouraging creativity - Avoiding getting
stuck in ruts
48. Exchange is no robbery - The importance of reciprocity
F Failure mode and effects analysis
49. Anticipating failure and learning from it
50. Finding the growth zone
Finding the balance between comfort and fear
51. Fishbone analysis A visual
aid to problem solving
52. Fishing for red herrings Not allowing ourselves to
get distracted
53. Force-field analysis Managing change
54. FORM good habits
Use habits to gain greater control
G Gantt charts Visual aids for project management
55. GIVE UP How to let go of negativity
56. Giving feedback Letting people
know where they stand
57. Grief audit Getting an overview of peoples
experiences of grief
Helicopter vision
58. Obtaining an overview
59. Holding Helping to provide emotional security
I Inviting innocent questions
60. Getting a perspective from outside the situation you are dealing with
K Know your enemy
61. Coping with anxiety
L Lateral thinking
62. Finding new ways to think about problems and solutions
M The magic wand
63. Getting as close to the ideal as possible
64. Making the most of meetings
- Avoiding time and energy being wasted
65. Mind mapping - Developing a
picture of the situation you are dealing with
66. Mitigate the effects -
Minimize the effects
67. Modelling and use of self - Using yourself as a tool
to help others
68. Motivational interviewing - Using ambivalence to bring
about change
69. Motivation audit - Getting an overview of key motivational
factors
N Naming the process
70. Bringing hidden agendas out into the open
71. Negotiating expectations
Being clear about what we can expect from each other
72. Not tolerating
vagueness Avoiding the dangers of being too vague
O Objectives tree
73. A framework for helping to develop plans
P Paint the toilets
74. Making a fresh start
75. The paradoxical approach - Reducing behaviours
by encouraging them
76. PCS analysis - Understanding different levels of
discrimination
77. Peacemaking circles -Drawing on Native American wisdom
78.
PEARLS - Building relationships
79. Positive strokes Building confidence
80.
Principled negotiation - Constructive ways of reaching agreement
81.
Promoting realism - Getting a balance between optimism and pessimism
82.
Providing an anchor - Providing security in times of instability
83. Pushing
the buttons - Acting as an advocate
R Radical non-intervention
84. Allowing situations to resolve themselves
85. RAID - Reducing problematic
behaviours
86. REBT - Understanding anger
87. Recognising grief -
Appreciating the significance of loss and grief
88. The RED approach -
Managing conflict
89. Reframing - Redefining problem situations to allow
people to move forward
90. Releasing the scapegoat - Avoiding the
destructiveness of blame
91. Responding to feelings - Taking account of the
emotional dimension
92. Revisiting assumptions - Questioning the premises
93.
The right person for the job - Matching skills and aptitudes to tasks
94.
Risk assessment - Analysing the risks involved in a given situation
95. Role
reversal - Seeing the situation from someone elses point of view
S SARAH
96. Coping with emotional intensity
97. Serendipity - Making the most of
chance occurrences
98. The six thinking hats - Looking at the different
angles
99. SMART objectives - The importance of having clear goals
100. SOLER
- Managing interpersonal relations
101. Start Stop Continue - Optimising
a situation
102. Stop trying! Taking a break from our efforts can sometimes
be helpful
103. Storytelling - Using stories to gain fresh insight
104.
Stress audit Getting an overview of pressures, coping methods and support
105. SWOT analysis - Balancing positives and negatives as an aid to decision
making
T Thinkfeeldo
106. Taking account of the three dimensions of human experience
107. The
three Hs - Understanding what motivates peoples behaviour
108. The three Rs
- Drawing on strengths
109. TOTE - Testing out the changes we make
110.
Transactional analysis - Understanding interpersonal dynamics
111. Tuning in
- Making connections with the people we are trying to help
112. Typology of
objectives - Prioritising what you are trying to achieve
U Using an accountability partner
113. The importance of supportive reminders
114. Using dissonance -
Challenging ingrained views
115. Using personal constructs - Developing our
own theories
V Visioning
116. Developing a vision of the place we want to get to
W Working backwards
117. Keeping a clear focus on outcomes
118. Worst case, best case
Getting things in perspective Guide to further learning References
Neil Thompson is an independent writer, producer of online learning resources and a visiting professor at the Open University. His approach is based on the three Ps: where there are People, there will be Problems, but there will also be Potential. He has decades of experience helping individuals and organisations to address the problems and fulfil the potential.
He is renowned for his ability to express complex ideas clearly and accessibly without oversimplifying them and to successfully blend theory and practice. In a long career, he has provided training or consultancy services to over 100 organisations, spoken at conferences and seminars in 13 different countries and has won awards for the quality and impact of his work. He has held full or honorary professorships at five UK universities, but for many years now he has focused on reaching a much wider audience to help make a positive difference. He has earned the trust to be a helpful guide and mentor through his writings and online learning and you will no doubt soon see why when you start reading this book. His Academy website, with his Manifesto for Making a Difference, is at www.NeilThompson.info.
