This topic contains 8 replies, has 9 voices, and was last updated by 
AuntieNae 16 years, 9 months ago.
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Continuing with the questions the canidates would have asked the other canidates comes this question from GR8Eyes:
How about…. what strategies or methods do you incorporate into your problem solving/decision making (I don’t mean math problems ) when asked to look at a situation?
Again I ask that all canidates (including GR8Eyes) answer the question:
Thanks
I try to build a consensus by encouraging discussions between all the affected people. Sometimes people will just not understand someone else’s point of view unless they actually hear it “from the horse’s mouth.” Once people get an understanding for the other people’s points of view, it is much easier to achieve a compromise solution that will make all the parties happy (or at least less unhappy).
I also have a philosophy taught to me by one of my early bosses, which he summarized in one phrase:
“The question is not “Who is right?”; the question is “What is right?””
If you can convince people to leave their personal issues at the door and consider what is best for the organization as a whole, managing from conflict to compromise becomes much more likely. Of course, sometimes you cannot convince everyone and decisions will come down to a vote. But organizations who can keep those “voting” situations to a minimum will have usually have better results.Related to the question on methods preferred for problem solving and decision making, as a nurse, I find myself using the Nursing Process for decision making in the world of work, as well in other types of decision.
For the non-nurses, here are the steps of the nursing process.
* Assessment
* Diagnosis
* Planning
* Implementation
* EvaluationAssessment includes doing the basic research, talking to others, and collecting as much subjective and objective data as possible. The better the data collection is, the easier it is to get to the correct diagnosis. Data riddled with errors, leads to misdiagnosis.
Diagnosis includes coming to conclusion and forming an idea of what the issue is. Even when data is incomplete, as it is often is, I find it important to have at least an operating diagnosis, because without a diagnosis, it is too easy to equivicate and be wishy-washy.
Planning means developing a plan of action to address the problem. Sometimes, the best plan is to do nothing and just observe and collect more data until the time is right to act.
Implementtion means to do what you planned on doing. This may call for list making and checking off each task as it is completed.
And finally reassessment. After any plan is implemented, it is useful to look back and gather data about whether the interventions selected were helpful, and what more ought to be done.
Thanks for the chance to explain the nursing process. It is a useful way to treat patients, and a very useful way to solve any type of problem.
zuma
Hmmm… This is a difficult question for me. I tend to work in a fast-paced environment where decisions have to be made quickly and correctly without much time for deliberation. I feel I’ve developed a sense for getting to what ends up being the correct answer the majority of the time.
When making other decisions in my life, I tend to deliberate for a good while and when I choose a course of action I set to it immediately. I plan well and then execute the plans I create well. Flexibility does tend to be a necessity. Paraphrasing an old military adage poorly, no strategy survives beyond the first shot.
I work well in decision making with others, preferring to arrive at a consensus rather than seeing it as imperative that others are bent to my point of view. Others will regularly have better ideas or a different angle on my own ideas, and that is the way to go. I’m definitely no fire-eater.
It really depends on the setting as to how I approach problem solving. Like Nancy said, as a teacher I make decisions on my feet numerous times a day, and those decisions are made quickly, based on way too many years of teaching service and experience. Most times, I solve things correctly, sometimes not. When the latter happens, I am not afraid to own my mistakes.
In other settings, such as group processes, I tend to sit back and observe the way the group works for a time. I used to be quick to jump in, but have learned in my life that it really helps to understand the group dynamics before trying to offer my opinions.
I like to be in situations where folks can *respectfully* disagree. This disagreement, though uncomfortable, seems to foster the best decisions overall, as it allows many points of view to be aired prior to reaching consensus.
For my own problem-solving, which affects only me, I will look at things analytically, weigh out all possibilities, and then I end up going with my gut anyway. Even though I use instinct, I feel like my choices are still better informed by that analytical turning over of all stones. I am also the daughter of a long line of engineers, basically the family black sheep in that respect. Even though I resisted that field of endeavor for myself, I picked up analytical thinking through some sort of weird osmosis!
This was a great question, Nancy. It gives us not only the chance to “get into” the minds of each other, it allows each of us the chance to get into our own heads. That can be important for those who go on to serve our great organization.
I tend to approach things very analytically. Rarely do I make snap decisions on things and would rather collect as much information as possible to better understand what the views are surrounding the matter.
Sometimes, this approach draws things out for a period of time, but the final decision tends to be a well thought out decision and works out for the best. Sometimes, it doesn’t, and the process needs to be looked over again. As others have stated, whatever the decision, I need to take responsibility for it. And as a group, whatever the decision may be, whether an individual is for or against it, the group must stand up for the whole group, not pointing fingers and saying “not my fault”. Not every person will agree with every decision but to have the right attitude and defend the group makes the entire group stronger.some decisions require careful thought, while others just require common sense. Determining which is which can be the difficult part.
Disclaimer : Always answering to a higher power.
@kansas64 wrote:
Continuing with the questions the canidates would have asked the other canidates comes this question from GR8Eyes:
How about…. what strategies or methods do you incorporate into your problem solving/decision making (I don’t mean math problems ) when asked to look at a situation?
Again I ask that all canidates (including GR8Eyes) answer the question:
Thanks
I look at the situation from all sides. I an a fence sitter by nature and like to look at all the pros and cons before doing research and making decisions
I also like to use past experience that I have had or of others who may have been in the same situation.
The internet is my friend. I enjoy doing research, looking for answers, concepts or other ideas, crazy as they may seem. I do think outside of the box. Not all crazy ideas out out of reach. They can be modified!!
I use people of all types and backgrounds as resource people. They may not have ever gone caching but know how to use a GPS. Maybe they know some kewl little thing we never thought of.
In answering this question on problem solving and decision making, I will defer back to my American Red Cross training ..
F> igure out the problem
I>dentify solutions
N>ame pros and cons of those solutions
D>ecide and act
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