Bill Straubinger

The Essential Problem Solver Bill Straubinger

How can I find effective solutions that last to the problems I face at work? Sometimes, you can't seem to find the right solution to a problem. You try one possibility that seems like the sure answer, but it just doesn't work. Or after working on what you thought was the right issue, it turned out it was a symptom of the real problem, so you had to go back to the drawing board and reassess the situation. This book gives you a set of tools for making sure you've identified the real problem, in order to arrive at the right solutions. These include a process for assessing and implementing solutions. You can also revisit your challenge to see what's working and use what you've learned to achieve an even better solution. The information in this book is brought to life through the experiences of Paul, a real-life midlevel manager, whose case studies mirror the chapter contents. Readers are also invited to apply these tools and the knowledge gained to their own real-life situations. There are two specific tools introduced and outlined in The Essential Problem Solver, which you can use separately or together - The Six Essential Step Problem Solving Model and the Thinking It Through Process. Underlying both are the important principles of Inclusive and Reflective Thinking, which provide the foundation for all effective and successful problem solving.