Problem Solving Tips
by Martin R. Carbone
Someone once said a successful life
is a journey through increasingly difficult problems. The
more difficult your problems, the more successful you
probably are. People who are poor problem solvers get stuck
on low level problems --- working at the same simple problems
over and over. I do not know if that is absolutely true, but
certainly the ability to solve problems is important. Here
are some tips I refer to when a problem is particularly
tough. They are the result of my direct experience and what
I have learned from others. Add your own tips and refer to
the combined list often ---- I believe they will help you
solve your problems. If you believe it will help, then it
will help. If they do not work for you, make up your own list.
You should have some idea of how you solve probems, shouldn't
you?
1 Seek simple solutions --- check first if "faulty " equipment is plugged in and that the switch is on.
2 Ask for advice from those on the production line or closest to the problem.
3 Ask others for help. Use the 7 magic words, " I have a problem - please help me".
4 Don't rush to judgement --- steep yourself in the problem for at least a short time.
5 Commit yourself to a solution. Believe there is a solution, and don't give up.
6 First solutions need not be perfect --- correct in later editions. Strive for perfection, but settle for adequacy on an interim basis.
7 Anything worth doing is worth doing poorly.
8 When things are going good, pay close attention --- get a feel for "good" so you can quickly recognize "bad".
9 When you have a vague general feeling that something is wrong --- something is wrong.
10 Play your hunches.
11 Brainstorm by yourself, and with others if you can. In brainstorming --- no negativity is allowed.
12 Be certain the problem is worth solving. Benign neglect may be best.
13 Sometimes it is good to ignore a problem --- they often go away spontaneously.
14 Sometimes it is best to take a break from active problem solving --- let time, sleep and the unconscious work their magic.
15 You can go over, under, around or through a problem --- or go back where you started and take an entirely different path.
16 In general work on those potential solutions where you have the resources necessary to implement the solution. Ignore, as long as possible, those solutions which are beyond
your physical, mental, spiritual or financial skills.
17 Keep your investment low --- be prepared to survive a failure.
18 Play the odds --- try the low risk, high reward things first and high risk, low reward things last, if at all.
19 Don't be afraid to fail.
20 When you have found a solution --- don't relax completely --- check out the solution a few times and set up controls so things don't go wrong in the same way again.
21 It helps if you approach everything in life as an experiment and realize that we learn more from our failures than our successes.
22 Ask for, recognize and accept God's help.
Copyright 1999, Martin R. Carbone.
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