1. Helping Mentees Identify and Solve Problems
Angie Maldonado, NIATx Coach
February 22, 2012

2. Our objectives: Understanding problem solving approach
Problem Exploration
Avoiding Assumptions
Dealing w/ Negative thinking (reverse brainstorming)
Drilling Down on the Problem
Being SMART when Goal-setting

3. Recognize your Organization’s Approach to Problem Solving
1. Avoidance- refuse to recognize that a problem exists 2. Solves them as necessary - deal with the urgent 3. Seeks them out - anticipate to avoid them becoming urgent

4. If You have the Wrong Problem, You will get the Wrong Solution.
Problem exploration is the first stage in the problem solving process. However, exploration may be limited because you think:
You know what you want
The problem is obvious (although perception is flawed)
The assumptions are known (although assumptions can be so ingrained you fail to notice them)
Complexity means this will be hard to solve

5. A problem to solve…
“Imagine you are in a black town. The local power company has a broken generator so the street lights aren’t working. There is no moon in the sky. A black cat decides it wants to cross the road and starts its journey. A black car comes roaring around the corner. It has a fault with its lights so they are off. As the car approaches the cat it swerves at the last moment. How did the driver see the cat? Note: There is no moon in the sky.”

6. Avoid Assumptions
If you work with customers, try asking yourself two questions at the start of every project:
What assumptions am I making... about this project ... about my role in it ... about what my customers, colleagues, whomever expect of me ...about their understanding of what I'm doing...?
What assumptions might my customers, colleagues, whomever be making ... about this project, about their role in it, about my understanding of what they're doing ... about my perception of their role?

7. Create a Place for Idea Generation
Our thinking may become ‘anchored’ to particular environments, settings, and formats.
Anchors can trigger pessimistic thinking
Change something to break the cycle.

8. Pessimistic Thinking We are all experts in thinking negatively.
We can put this skill to good use be using reverse brainstorming.

9. Reverse Brainstorming
How to use:
1. Clearly identify the problem or challenge, and write it down.
2. Reverse the problem or challenge by asking: "How could I possibly cause the problem?", or "How could I possibly achieve the opposite effect?“
3. Brainstorm the reverse problem to generate reverse solution ideas. Allow the brainstorm ideas to flow freely. Do not reject anything at this stage.
4. Once you have brainstormed all the ideas to solve the reverse problem, now reverse these into solution ideas for the original problem or challenge.
5. Evaluate these solution ideas. Can you see a potential solution? Can you see attributes of a potential solution?

10. An Example… How do we improve patient satisfaction?
How do we create more patient dissatisfaction?
Ideas:
Double book appointments
Remove the chairs from the waiting room
Put patients who phone on hold (and forget about them)
Have patients wait outside in the parking lot
Discuss patient’s problems in public
Reverse the solution:
“We don't leave patients outside in the parking lot; but in the morning, there are often patients waiting outside until opening time“.
Potential Solution:
“We could open the waiting room 10 minutes earlier so it doesn’t happen. There are 2 or 3 staff working, so this will not be a problem.”

11. Appreciation Technique
“Appreciation involves extracting the maximum amount of information from facts.”
How to use:
Starting with a fact, ask the question 'So what?' i.e. what are the implications of that fact? Keep on asking that question until you have drawn all possible inferences.

12. An example…. Fact: It rained heavily last night So What?
– The ground will be wet
– It will turn into mud quickly
– If many troops and vehicles pass over the same ground, movement will be progressively slower and more difficult as the ground gets muddier and more difficult.
– Where possible, stick to paved roads. Otherwise expect movement to be much slower than normal.

13. Ensure Mentees are SMART when goal setting:
Specific Measurable Attainable Realistic Timely

14. Other Thoughts?