Most definitions of resiliency stress the ability to bounce back from adversity. Grit and gumption are two of the characteristics often associated with resiliency. Individually and organizationally, this translates to the ability to reach goals despite obstacles. Grit is often measured using a scale developed by Angela Duckworth in 2007. How Can You Build Grit?…
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As a business leader, you are always alert for outside challenges: changes in consumer tastes, increased competition, product or service innovations, government policy changes, and other volatile impacts to your organization. The signs of internal threats are often more difficult to spot, in part because they worsen gradually, and in part because there is a…
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Audits help an organization or team to solve problems. They identify areas for improvement; places where client or stakeholder expectations haven’t be met; violations of regulations or industry standards; and information on the accuracy and relevance of in-house metrics. A successful audit has management support, starts with sufficient preparation, is avoids antagonizing the people it…
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As described in problem analysis, the first steps in problem solving involve evaluating the problem, causes, current strategy or process, and the priority of the problem. When problem analysis is complete, problem solving is the next step. Most of the processes and approaches to problem solving focus on spending time on understanding the problem, then…
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Problem analysis lets you discover if your problem is indeed a nail—you can then decide if the solution is a hammer. The purpose of problem analysis is to properly evaluate the problem, identify the cause of the problem, understand glitches or potential in your current process/strategy, prioritize the problem, and make sure you are avoiding…
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One of the advantages of group problem solving is pulling in experiences, ideas, and strategies from a variety of sources. For that to happen, the group has to achieve a certain level of trust in each other and the ability to communicate clearly. However, assuming the group does trust its members and are able to…
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“What could possibly go wrong?”—for a phrase that’s embedded in our consciousness, it often has surprisingly little impact on the way we manage our business. “Nothing can go wrong; nothing we can’t handle; no need to dwell on the negative; we can’t live our lives in fear.” But wishful thinking is a long way from…
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As described in problem analysis, the first steps in problem solving involve evaluating the problem, causes, current strategy or process, and the priority of the problem. When problem analysis is complete, problem solving is the next step. Most of the processes and approaches to problem solving focus on spending time on understanding the problem, then…
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Scott Adams, the creator of the Dilbert cartoons, worked for years at a bank and at Pacific Bell—at no time was he cited for his contribution to creative problem solving. Yet, he certainly had creativity and he certainly had an eye for problems. So why couldn’t his bosses make use of his talents? The…
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Problem analysis lets you discover if your problem is indeed a nail—you can then decide if the solution is a hammer. The purpose of problem analysis is to properly evaluate the problem, identify the cause of the problem, understand glitches or potential in your current process/strategy, prioritize the problem, and make sure you are avoiding…
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