Solve that Problem - Introduction

Intro - Solve That Problem

How to find solutions to problems

Introduction

A Complete On-line Notebook

Solve that Problem is a complete on-line notepad to help you with your problems. They may be personal - how can I stop that annoying habit or How can I motivate myself more or Organisational - How can we create fresh product concepts or how can we reduce staff turnover.

The techniques are organised around a four step process starting with Explore and moving anti-clockwise to Do It!. Depending on the difficulty of the problem you have, you could cover the whole process or just part of it.

Central to this process are the letters BOS - your Brain Operating System. You need to know how you work so that the techniques work.

The workshop philosophy of "You can't think outside the Box! but you can make it bigger" is used extensively

Making your Mental Box Bigger!

The Boxes that stop us achieving what we want to achieve

Our mental boxes are good protection for everything that life can throw at us. Sometimes they are too protective and they can trap us. Making your mental box bigger can move that solution which was elusively outside your box, inside your box. Then you get it.

Let's examine a simple phrase to see where the boxes are.

I can't be creative here!"

This points to 5 different types of mental boxes arranged like a Russian doll, each inside the others. Starting from the end:

HERE refers to an environment - perhaps at work. The implication is that work is somehow preventing you being creative.

CREATIVE refers to your Behaviour. If you only use brainstorming then you are limiting yourself.

BE refers to Capability - Techniques by themselves are insufficient, you need to make sure your mental muscles are tuned up. The MAP gym area is a good place to work out.

CAN'T - refers to your Beliefs. Set up in the past, this 'internal dialogue' is sabotaging your efforts.

I refers to You. What drives you as an individual to be creative?

Solve that Problem is designed with these boxes in mind. It uses techniques, complemented by stuff on your Brain Operating system as well as environmental factors which can stiffle your creativity.

Good Luck solving those problems.

The Principles of making your Mental Box Bigger!

Expanding your Mental Box will ensure that you solve problems more easily. The principles covered in this workshop are:

Perception - your perceptive 'rules' can distort the problem. Change them.
Assumption - limited or false assumptions make you blind to the solution. Uncover
Complexity - if it's complicated it's hard to solve. Simplify.

Associations/habits/experiences - insufficient associations hinder idea generation - create more
Negative self talk from your censor can stop you in your tracks. Belief reinforcement. Language.
Play - the ability to turn logic and judgement off. Prototype

Dynamics - interferring left v right Brains. Mixing evaluation and idea generation
Patterns - reliance on familiar patterns leads to the same solutions.
Starting Point - starting at the wrong place can lead you around in neural circles.
Senses - you connect with the world through your senses. Multisense to expand

Viewpoints - mentally jumping into other worlds releases intuition.
Decisions - mental shortcuts can hamper your decisiveness.
Sensitivity. Don't fall for 'Mine is Best', cultivate listening
Passion. All else will fail unless your internal energy sustains you.

Unwritten Organisational rules - what it's safe and unsafe to do. Just do It!
Hierarchy rules OK - try to go around a managerial block and you're in trouble! Do it anyway
Get Help! - don't try to do it all yourself, only get top sponsorship
Reality Check - follow Everett Rogers guidelines and your box just gets bigger!