Tips for Creative Problem Solving in Corporate Environments

As part of my first software engineering job, which was at a manufacturing firm, my manager granted me freedom to choose what I wanted to work on. Little I knew that that meant independently identifying business needs and then crafting solutions. As a novice in the software engineering realm, I lacked the guidance and mentorship typically offered to newcomers. Instead, I was thrust into a role where I was expected to create my own work. In general, those skills are characteristic of mid to senior level engineers. I spent the following months observing mechanical engineers and technicians. I meticulously observed their routines, pinpointed their pain points, and identified the repetitive tasks that were consuming their time. Six months into the role and I prototyped a computer vision solution that automated visual inspection of freshly assembled medical devices. I wrote it fully in C++ using the OpenCV library, with unit tests and proper documentation. My prototype quickly garnered attention and piqued interest, evolving into a full-scale solution that significantly reduced the manual labor required, saving us tens of hours each week. This experience taught me valuable lessons about embarking on new projects and joining teams: 1️⃣ Observe and Inquire: Start by closely observing and asking questions. Take diligent notes as you go along. 2️⃣ Identify Pain Points: Understand where the team is struggling the most, and recognize the areas in need of improvement. 3️⃣ Propose Well-Considered Solutions: Suggest solutions with well-thought alternatives. Be prepared to present your ideas effectively. 4️⃣ Execute and Deliver: Put your plans into action, and ensure your implementation aligns with the team's needs. Following these steps will allow you to become an organizational asset and propel your growth. This journey not only honed my technical skills but also imparted crucial insights into the dynamics of software engineering and problem-solving in a real-world context.

Explore a fresh perspective on handling workplace challenges with solution-focused feelings questions. Move beyond the traditional ‘how does this make you feel’ to proactive queries highlighting progress and patterns. It’s about understanding the interaction between feelings and actions to foster better problem-solving and progress. Action Points: 1. Identify Progress Indicators: Instead of asking, “How did that make you feel?” ask, “What pleased you about how you handled that?” 2. Seek Patterns Over Feelings: Focus on patterns and indicators of progress rather than emotions to understand real change. 3. Explore Practical Coping Strategies: Encourage discussions on coping mechanisms and strategies used in challenging situations. 4. Promote Action-Oriented Responses: Shift the conversation to what actions can be taken next rather than dwelling on feelings. 5. Build Solution-Focused Skills: Develop skills that help in making sense of environments and moving forward with pragmatic solutions. #solutionfocuswd #problemsolving #coaching https://lnkd.in/dXxXZJr

If you had one hour to save the world, how would you spend that hour? Albert Einstein would suggest spending 55 minutes defining the problem and only 5 minutes solving it. In the business world, this approach is more relevant than ever. Leaders can often jump into solution mode before fully understanding the challenge. But what if you slowed down and engaged your team in defining the problem first? The Create the Future (CTF) framework emphasizes the importance of this collaborative approach. It will help you to deeply understand the problem at hand with your team's collective insights. Here's why this matters: 👉 Diverse Perspectives: Each team member brings unique insights that can uncover aspects of the challenge you might not have considered. 👉 Richer Understanding: A problem well-defined is half-solved. By involving your team in the problem-defining process, you're setting the stage for more effective solutions. 👉 Commitment to Solutions: Teams that help define the problem feel a stronger commitment to finding and implementing solutions. For example, instead of asking, "How can we boost sales?" involve your team in uncovering why sales might be declining. Is it the sales strategy, market changes, or product issues? This deeper dive can lead to more impactful strategies. Your role as a leader is to encourage open dialogue. Start with statements like, "We have three new products ready to launch. Which should we launch first and why?" or "Our customers are shifting away from our products. Let's explore this trend together." Remember, the goal isn't to have an immediate solution but to develop a clear, actionable understanding of the challenge. This approach not only empowers your team but also leads to more sustainable and creative solutions. Have you involved your team in defining business challenges? What impact did it have? Share your experiences below. #ProblemSolvingStrategy #TeamCollaboration #EinsteinWisdom #LeadershipGoals #CTFFramework #InnovativeThinking #BusinessChallenges #StrategicLeadership

Ever Feel Like the Chief Problem Solver? I have recently found myself re-reading Keith Rosen's "Coaching Salespeople into Sales Champions." I found this excerpt about managers/leaders often times becoming the chief problem solver very interesting. "There exists a great leadership paradox. That is, leaders create the very problems they want to avoid most. Continually putting out fires and solving their people's challenges result in the frustration of not having people who are self-motivated or accountable for their goals. Repeatedly providing your people with quick solutions trains them not to be accountable. You send the message to your people that they can rely on you to fix their problems for them--and the real irony is, when your solution doesn't work, it's then your fault. Taking off your Chief Problem Solver hat makes your people more valuable and sharpens their problem solving skills. Next time you're asked for a quick solution--don't give in and take the bait! Besides all you're really doing when imparting all of your wisdom and expertise is building robots or managing in your own image, rather than tapping into theirs. Instead, ask them, "What is the result you're looking to achieve here?" "Can you share the specifics of what's going on?" "How have you handled something like this before?" "What's another solution or approach that might work in your situation now?"

“What is the problem statement?” - Based on my experience the key to properly solving a problem is to truly understand what exactly the issue is. This could appear obvious, however, for some organizations it is very difficult to master. Using a customer quality concern as an example, by utilizing a systematic approach to problem solving the following are a few things to consider: 1. Ensure that all relevant information is available for the team to consider – this is extremely important   -  Engage your customer and if necessary the supplier in the initial phases of the investigation/data collection 2. Properly contain the issue: - Too often team members will overreact and begin taking what is believed to be an effective containment action to later discover that it was not which amplifies costs and customer dissatisfaction - It is however, very critical to work with speed during the initial phases to minimize exposure 3. Internally establish a cross functional team with a project leader. Problem solving can’t be left up to one department or person  4. Go to the “Gemba” where the work is done. Problems can’t always be solved or attempted to be solved in a conference room 5. With the right data, people, process (e.g. 8D) and facilitation of meetings the permanent corrective actions will follow. Trust the process but be relentless through it 6. Follow up, follow up, follow up – changes made from the corrective action should be inspected multiple times until confidence is established through a sustained duration Finally, this does not pertain to only customer, supplier or manufacturing process issues. TRY IT – the next time you are having an internal meeting to discuss a “problem” of any type be a demanding partner and ask “What problem are we trying to solve?” – it’s amazing the difference of opinions that will surface and align everyone to a common goal. As always thanks for the comments and IM’s to my posts and feel free to reach out. Darren

I don't know if "frustrated and bored" is really the right description here, but the overall point is a good one: thinking hard about a difficult problem doesn't often yield an immediate answer. Providing the room and time for that problem to "incubate" and let your subconscious mind work on the problem - passively finding related information, making new connections or having new insights - is extremely valuable. It's why we often have great ideas while out on a walk or in the shower - we've given our minds permission and space to wander. This is a process I've actively used with development teams for decades, although I've called it "percolation." "Let's leave that on the back burner for a while and let it percolate." This kind of active disengagement can be a useful approach no matter the problem to be solved. #innovation #leadership #leading #invention #ProblemSolving #cognitive #science #management #TechnologyManagement #InnovationManagement #teams #work

Can you name 8 ways you can use a spoon? Besides the good ole' "eating soup" or "eating ice cream"... What about as a catapult? As a bookmark? As a door stopper? As a sword? A musical instrument? A raft for a couple of ants? As UX Designers, we're constantly thinking about different ways to approach what's in front of us, but that's not a UX-exclusive skill. Being able to genuinely think creatively in any situation, any job, is what's going to keep you around, and will make people want to continue working with you. When you start to draw a blank consider these 3 steps to approach your problem solving with creativity: 1. Competitor analysis - What's already out there to solve the same problem? What are they doing well? Where are their gaps? What could you do differently? What's the scale at which they are approaching the problem? 2. Brainstorm - Set a timer, say, 10 minutes and don't. stop. writing. (or drawing) ANY solutions. They can be irrational or silly ideas. The point is to get it all out of your head and somewhere where you can start narrowing ideas down, and discussing WHY something wouldn't be a good idea. You can create a matrix and start ranking top ideas based on timeline, pricing, or effort level. 3. Reverse engineering - Flip it. If you're brainstorming the ways to increase revenue at your restaurant, what are ways that you could deliver the absolute worst customer 1 star experience? Use that as a starting point and then inverse it. Identify why that would be a bad solution and what the opposite could be. I got the amazing opportunity to host two workshops about Creative Problem Solving with Bentonville Schools Ignite Program for about 80 juniors and seniors. Thank you Enia S. for inviting me! You've done a phenomenal job so far giving these young professionals practical insight to grow beyond just reading a textbook.

Have you heard that the best ideas do not always happen in the office? That does not necessarily indicate a problem in your workplace. On the other hand, the best ideas seem to strike when you're in the shower or out for a leisurely walk. There's a fascinating reason behind this phenomenon, and It's a two-part process: First, you saturate your brain by actively seeking information and trying to solve challenges. Then, when you relax, your mind is free to let ideas flow and make unexpected connections. This process is supported by psychology research, known as the incubation theory. According to studies like those conducted by psychologist Jonathan Schooler, taking breaks from focused problem-solving tasks can increase creativity and insight. During these breaks, your brain continues to work on the problem in the background, often resulting in sudden "eureka" moments when a solution presents itself. So, the next time you're grappling with a challenging problem or searching for a creative idea, remember the power of this two-part process. Dive deep into your research and problem-solving efforts, then give yourself the space to relax and let your mind wander. 🚶♀️ 🚶♂️ 🏞 You might be surprised by the innovative ideas that emerge when least expect them. #creativity #innovation #nature #wandering