Problem Solving
The most valuable people in most organizations are the leaders, the innovators, and the problem solvers. The roles should be overlapping. One role might include each of the other talents or one of the talents might lead to more responsibility and career success.
Organizations need to solve problems every day. It is often the priority for Leadership. Their problems may be internal or external. They may be dealing with employees, culture, costs, or systems. They may have external problems like the economy, competition, technologies, politics, or Nature.
Most organizations start analyzing every problem by stating it and then asking how are we going to solve it. Those who can't solve the "real" problem may go out of business. It happens every day. Ask Blockbuster, Blackberry, or Polaroid. They were solving the wrong problems.
Many Global organizations now engage in a more revolutionary problem-solving format that begins with first imagining the Vision of how they want things to be. Then they spend as much time as necessary finding the "root causes" of the current dilemma. Without the correct "root cause", the plans and solutions will be short term.
After the "root cause" has been agreed upon, the working body can list the options. From the options come the Plan. Then periodically scheduled appraisals keep the process on track.
You could become efficient and effective at this formula for small and large problems. Then watch out, the sky becomes the limit. My bosses always said two things about me. I was efficient and innovative. Bosses need efficient and innovative employees.
